| Tazama Pipeline | |
| Type: | Crude oil |
| Country: | Tanzania and Zambia |
| Operator: | Tazama Pipeline Limited |
| Partners: | Government of Tanzania and Government of Zambia |
| Length Km: | 1710 |
| Discharge: | 1100000tonne annually |
| Direction: | East to West |
| Start: | Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania |
| Finish: | Ndola, Zambia |
| Pumping Stations No: | 7 |
The Tazama Pipeline, also Tanzania–Zambia Crude Oil Pipeline, is a 1710km (1,060miles) long crude oil pipeline from the port of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, to the Indeni Petroleum Refinery in Ndola, Zambia.[1]
The Tazama pipeline extends from the Indian Ocean port of Dar es Salaam, in Tanzania to the industrial city of Ndola, Zambia, in the Copperbelt Province, close to the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The pipeline travels approximately 1060 miles (1,710 kilometers).[2] For 954km (593miles) the pipeline has a diameter of 8inches, and for the remaining 798km (496miles), the pipeline diameter is 12inches.[2] According to the map at the pipeline website, the pipeline passes through or near the following cities and towns: Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Epass, Iringa, Mbeya, Chinsali, Mpika, Kalonje and Ndola.[2]
The Tazama Crude Oil Pipeline was constructed to transport crude oil from the port of Dar-es-Salaam into landlocked Zambia, at an affordable, sustainable economic cost. When installed in 1968, the pipeline had a carrying capacity of 1100000tonne annually.[2] By 2002, carrying capacity had deteriorated to 600000tonne annually.[1]
Associated infrastructure owned by Tazama in Tanzania, includes the tank farm in Dar es Salaam consisting of six storage tanks onshore, which comprise three tanks of 36000m2 capacity combined and three tanks of combined capacity of 41000m2. There are seven pump stations in total between Dar-es-Salaam and Ndola; five stations in Tanzania and two in Zambia.[1]
The pipeline is owned and operated by a company called Tazama Pipelines Limited, with headquarters in Ndola Zambia and an office in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. TAZAMA stands for Tanzania Zambia Mafuta. "Mafuta" means "Oil" in Kiswahili.[2] The table below illustrates the shareholding in the shares of stock of Tazama Pipelines Limited.[1] [2]
| 1 | ||
| 2 | ||
Due to age and lack of regular maintenance, the Tazama pipeline suffers corrosion and develops leaks from time to time. Repair of those leaks is necessary to avoid environmental degradation.[3] [4]
Due to inability by Tazama Pipeline and Indeni Petroleum Refinery to supply all the refined petroleum products that Zambia requires, in the desired quantities, the government of Zambia and that of Tanzania, are contemplating building a 1349km (838miles) refined petroleum products pipeline at an estimated cost of US$1.5 billion. No timeframe has been given.[5]