China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC) has applied for a license to explore for oil and gas in Tanzania.
Tazania’s energy ministry confirmed the move Wednesday.
CNOOC has submitted an application for an exploration license from the state-run Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC).
Sixteen companies already operate in Tanzania, including BG Group, Statoil, Petrobras, Royal Dutch Shell and Exxon Mobil.
The country estimates it has more than 40 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas reserves.
China’s CNOOC has shown interest in investing in oil and gas exploration in the country, Tanzania’s energy and minerals ministry said in a statement.
