PanAfrican Energy Tanzania (PAET) is a subsidiary of Orca Energy It is the arm of the organisation responsible for delivering operational success in Tanzania. In 1991 PAET acquired the Songo Songo lease and began development discussions in Tanzania and with international development organisations such as the World Bank. In order to secure financing, it was clear that a viable market for the potential natural gas production would need to be created, and several years of financial, market development and operational planning followed.

By 2001 a consortium to build the transportation infrastructure had been formed and financing secured. In June 2004 the first delivery of natural gas flowed from Songo Songo Island by marine and land pipeline and for the first-time power was being generated in Tanzania using a natural gas fired turbine generator. In fact, the project was the first gas to power project in East Africa. PAET invested more than TZS 14.3 billion before the first gas was sold, and more than TZS 219 billion in drilling, infrastructure and capital projects since. Today, PAET supplies gas that fuels more than 40% of Tanzania’s total power generation and sustains 40 major industries in Dar es Salaam. The Company also supplies Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to a growing number of domestic vehicles, public transport vehicles and to a major hotel.

The Songo Songo Licence Area

The Songo Songo natural gas licence area covers approximately 170 square kilometres and is located on the western part of Songo Songo Island, which is 15 kilometres off Tanzania’s coastline and about 200 kilometres south of Dar es Salaam. It is Tanzania’s first and largest natural gas development and supplies gas to the Ubungo and Tegeta power plants in Dar es Salaam and 38 industrial customers.

Gas from the Songo Songo Island plant is transported by a 25 km 12-inch marine pipeline and a 207 km 16-inch land pipeline that extends north along the coast to Dar es Salaam.