Ethiopia has discovered 21.3 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserves in the Ogaden region in the south eastern part of the country, a senior official has said.
Milion Matheos, Ethiopian State Minister of Mines told reporters that said “a survey supported with the drilling of 19 wells has confirmed that there is 21 billion, 336 million cubic meters of natural gas in the Ogaden region.”
The ministry of mining said Ethiopia “is home to oil and natural gas deposits in six different locations, including Ogaden, Mekele, Metema, South Omo and Gambella.”
In 2016, there was a $4 billion natural gas production deal between Ethiopia, Djibouti and China and in 2019 to enable the East African nation to start exporting natural gas via Djibouti in three years.
The country spends over $5 billion annually to import petroleum products.
Natural gas was first discovered some 40 years ago in Ethiopia. Although many companies have conducted exploration work, the reserves remain undeveloped till now, and the people and the government are yet to benefit from it.
The minister was, however, silent on when the country’s natural gas reserves would be tapped.
MG/GIK/APA