PURA Visits Natural Gas Wells in Mtwara

PURA Visits Natural Gas Wells in Mtwara to Enhance Knowledge for Education Stakeholders

Mtwara, March 15, 2025

The Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA) has conducted an official visit to Mtwara, inspecting the Mnazi Bay Madimba natural gas wells and a teacher training college that benefits from the energy source. The visit included various stakeholders from higher and technical education institutions, aiming to provide insights into the exploration, development, and production of natural gas.

PURA’s Senior Geologist, Mussa Itumbo, emphasized that the primary goal of the visit was to enhance the understanding of education stakeholders, particularly lecturers from universities and technical institutions, so they can equip their students with accurate knowledge about the natural gas sector.

"Some of the graduates from these institutions are expected to work in the oil and gas industry. This visit offers them essential knowledge to help them prepare for a competitive job market," said Itumbo.

Dr. Malehe Setta, Chief Quality Control Officer from the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU), highlighted that the visit aligns with the requirements of the new education policy, which emphasizes practical skills over purely theoretical education.

"To implement the new education policy, institutions have been directed to develop programs that equip graduates with hands-on skills. Visiting these sites allows educators to gain deeper insights into the gas production and processing chain, enhancing the value of their academic programs," said Dr. Setta.

The visit included representatives from several academic institutions, including the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), the University of Dodoma (UDOM), the Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute (DMI), the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT), the Ardhi University (ATC), and VETA MRI. Additionally, regulators from NACTVET and TCU participated in the visit.

Overall, this initiative marks a significant step in ensuring that the education sector provides graduates with the technical skills needed in the oil and gas industry while enhancing educators' understanding of the natural gas production and processing chain.