Tanzania’s long-awaited Ntorya gas development has moved closer to production after the government and project partners agreed on a revised implementation programme that targets first gas in December 2026.
The revised programme follows a meeting convened by Tanzania’s Ministry of Energy on August 26, bringing together the Ministry, the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA), Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC), ARA Petroleum Tanzania Limited (APT), the operator of the Ruvuma Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), and Aminex subsidiary Ndovu Resources Limited.
The meeting comes at an important point for the Ntorya project, which has faced delays over the timing and sequencing of development activities.
According to Aminex PLC, the government did not approve the operator’s proposal to extend and delay the project timetable. Instead, all parties agreed to a revised implementation schedule designed to move the development forward without unnecessary delay.
Three wells planned before year-end.
Under the revised programme, three major well activities are scheduled between October and December 2026.
The Ntorya-1 (NT-1) well is scheduled for workover in October, followed by testing of the Ntorya-2 (NT-2) well in November.
A newly planned NT-Central (NT-C) well is then scheduled to be drilled in December.
The programme targets first gas from NT-1 and NT-2 in December 2026.
The NT-Central well represents an important change in the development sequence. APT had previously proposed bringing forward NT-C, which had originally been envisaged as a development well for a later phase, instead of drilling the Chikumbi-1 (CH-1) well.
Under the newly agreed programme, however, NT-C will be drilled in addition to CH-1, rather than replacing it.
NT-C will be drilled first, with drilling of CH-1 to follow. This gives the project a more defined near-term drilling programme while maintaining the planned exploration and development work associated with the wider Ruvuma project.
Pipeline to Madimba expected to be ready.
One of the most important elements of the revised programme is not just the wells themselves, but the infrastructure required to move the gas to market.
The parties confirmed that the Ntorya-to-Madimba pipeline will be completed in time to receive first gas from the Ntorya field in December 2026.
This is critical because bringing a gas field into production requires more than successful drilling and testing. Production must be connected to infrastructure capable of transporting the gas to consumers.
With the pipeline and wells now incorporated into the same implementation timetable, December 2026 becomes a significant milestone for the Ntorya development.
Operator says funding is available.
APT also confirmed that it has the necessary funds to execute the revised development programme. The parties agreed that APT should proceed with the planned activities in accordance with the new schedule and without unnecessary delay.
The revised programme will now go through the formal Joint Venture approval process required under the Joint Operating Agreement.
For Tanzania’s gas sector, this is an important development because execution, rather than simply resource potential, has become the key issue for Ntorya.
Why Ntorya matters to Tanzania.
The significance of Ntorya extends beyond the companies involved in the Ruvuma PSA.
Tanzania has spent years expanding its domestic natural gas infrastructure, with natural gas playing an important role in electricity generation and industrial development.
Additional domestic gas production could provide greater feedstock availability for power generation and industrial users while supporting the broader development of Tanzania’s gas economy.
For industries that depend on reliable energy supplies, the development of additional domestic gas resources can have implications for operating costs, energy security and future investment decisions.
The government and project partners therefore have a strong incentive to move Ntorya from development into production.
A potential turning point for the Ruvuma project.
The latest programme also provides greater visibility into the next stage of development of the Ruvuma PSA. The immediate objective is first gas from NT-1 and NT-2 in December. But the programme does not represent the end of the development campaign.
The subsequent drilling of NT-C and CH-1 is expected to provide additional information and support the broader development of the Ntorya field.
Aminex Executive Chairman Charles Santos described the agreed programme as an important step toward resolving the issues that led the company to issue a Notice of Dispute on August 21, 2026.
He also emphasized that the company’s focus is now on working with the other parties to implement the programme and deliver first gas without further delay.
What to watch between now and December.
For Tanzania’s energy market, the next few months will be particularly important.
The key milestones are:
October 2026: Workover of Ntorya-1.
November 2026: Testing of Ntorya-2.
December 2026: Drilling of NT-Central.
December 2026: Targeted first gas from NT-1 and NT-2.
After NT-C: Drilling of Chikumbi-1.
December 2026: Ntorya-Madimba pipeline targeted to be ready to receive gas.
If these milestones are achieved, Ntorya could move from being one of Tanzania’s most closely watched undeveloped gas resources to a producing field supplying gas into the country’s energy system.
For investors, industrial companies, energy suppliers and businesses evaluating Tanzania’s energy market, the development is therefore one to watch closely.
The real test now is execution.
After years of development discussions and timetable changes, the Ntorya project has a clear set of near-term milestones and a December 2026 first-gas target.
If the programme stays on schedule, the next few months could mark the beginning of a new phase for Tanzania’s gas industry.
If the programme stays on schedule, the next few months could mark the beginning of a new phase for Tanzania’s gas industry.
