East Africa Gas - The Potential for Export

In the world of upstream oil and gas, the emergence of a major new prospective area always creates a frisson of excitement. David Ledesma's paper on the prospects for gas in Mozambique and Tanzania captures the excitement of the confirmation of a major new hydrocarbon play and conveys the pace at which resources were mobilised and the sheer scale of the discoveries made over a very short time period.

The resources, however, are owned by two relatively poor countries with limited institutional capability and capacity. They face the challenge of making decisions on fiscal and regulatory issues which will impact their economies for several decades.

This paper is a timely description and analysis of the emergence of this major new source of gas supply which is already hailed as a future competitor for Australian and US LNG supplies to Asian markets. For researchers and observers of the natural gas market it provides a comprehensive picture of a gas supply region whose prominence will surely grow throughout the next decade.