Total pledges to support Tanzania in oil exploration in 4 lakes

DAR ES SALAAM, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Total, the French multinational integrated oil and gas company, has pledged to support Tanzania in oil exploration in four lakes, a statement said on Tuesday.

The statement released by the Directorate of Presidential Communication at State House said the pledge was made by Total chief executive officers during talks with President John Magufuli.

Total has decided to heavily invest in the gas and oil market, according to the statement which quoted Tanzania's Minister for Energy Medard Kalemani and the east African nation's Minister for Industries, Trade and Investments, Charles Mwijage, as saying.

The two ministers said Total has agreed to work closely with the government of Tanzania in the exploration of oil in Lakes Tanganyika, Eyasi, Wembere and Rukwa.

Momar Nguer, Total's President for Marketing and Services, said the oil company was on final stages of preparations to start implementation of the oil pipeline project.

Nguer made the remarks after president Magufuli had asked the oil firm to speed up implementation of the project scheduled to be completed in 2020.

Uganda and Tanzania signed an agreement on their proposed 3.55 billion U.S. dollars crude export pipeline in May this year.

Total is one of the major players and investors in the 1,445-kilometer crude oil pipeline project from Hoima in Uganda to Tanga port in Tanzania. Enditem