CONVERSION OF TAZAMA PIPELINE FROM CARRYING CRUDE FEEDSTOCK TO REFINED DIESEL PROGRESSING WELL
During last Friday’s press briefing held at Government Complex, I reiterated that, through the efforts of The New Dawn Government, the conversion of the TAZAMA Pipeline from transportation of commingled crude oil feedstock to transportation of Diesel has reached an advanced stage.
The TAZAMA (Tanzania-Zambia-Mafuta) Pipeline, is a 1,710-kilometer pipeline that was transporting raw crude oil (comingled feedstock) material for refining from the port of Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania to the INDENI Petroleum Refinery in Ndola from the 1960s until 2021. The TAZAMA Pipeline was constructed to transport fuel at an affordable, sustainable economic cost. When installed in 1968, the pipeline had a carrying capacity of 1,100,000 tonnes annually. But the pipeline has suffered wear and tear over the years and some of to its equipment have been obsolete.
The plan is for the TAZAMA pipeline to be rehabilitated, cleaned up and reconfigured to start pumping finished products instead of comingled crude. First steps are cleaning it up. Preparatory works for this conversion process, including the cleaning of storage tanks, have been undertaken. The pipeline conversion process begun on 24th January 2023, and so far, 15% (percent) of the pipeline has already been cleaned.
The conversion process should be completed within the first quarter of this year and at the latest the beginning of the second quarter.
The New Dawn Government is commited to ensuring sustainable fuel supply, an important catalyst in the economic development of the country. Further, the Government, through the Ministry of Energy, will continue working on measures to stabilize and reduce the cost of petroleum products on the Zambian market.
Once the government is done with cleaning and converting the TAZAMA pipeline, it will be able to pump 90 million litres of diesel per month. This will ensure reliable supply of diesel into the the Country at a reduced cost. The conversion of the pipeline can result in a reduction in the cost of transportation of diesel of up to 60% (percent). This will also reduce on the damage to the roads. Invariably, this saving on the cost of importing diesel will translate into a reduction in the pump price of diesel.
Good morning.
Hon. Eng. Peter Chibwe Kapala
Minister of Energy
09. 02. 2023