Aminex Secures Rig 8000 as Ntorya Drilling Programme Moves Forward

Ntorya Rig Contract Signed

3rd November 2026

Aminex has announced that its operator, ARA Petroleum Tanzania (APT), has signed a contract with China Petroleum Technology and Development Corporation (CPTDC) for Rig 8000 to drill Ntorya-3 (NT-3). The announcement, released on 3 November 2026, brings welcome confirmation of a development that investors have been following closely throughout the year and represents another important step towards implementing the revised Ntorya drilling programme.

The significance of the agreement is strengthened by the fact that Rig 8000 is already in Tanzania, having been used by Maurel & Prom during its recent drilling campaign at the neighbouring Mnazi Bay gas field. With that campaign completed, the rig has now been secured for its next assignment at Ntorya, bringing together a sequence of developments that began earlier this year when Tanzanian authorities indicated that the Mnazi Bay drilling unit would subsequently move to the Ruvuma development.

For Aminex shareholders, the announcement is particularly welcome because it confirms that another important element of the development programme has moved from planning and negotiation into a formal contractual commitment. The September operational update had indicated that rig negotiations were at a very advanced stage, and today's news confirms that those discussions have reached a successful conclusion.

From Mnazi Bay to Ntorya

The connection between the Mnazi Bay drilling campaign and Ntorya has featured regularly in our coverage during 2026. Earlier in the year, TPDC Managing Director Mussa Makame indicated that the drilling rig operating at Mnazi Bay would subsequently be deployed to the Ruvuma area, making the progress of Maurel & Prom's drilling programme particularly relevant to Aminex investors.

That programme involved the MB-5 and MS-2 production wells before attention turned to the Kasa-1X exploration well. Although Kasa-1X presented some operational challenges during drilling, the campaign progressed to completion, with TPDC confirming in September that the drilling phase at Kasa-1X had finished. The subsequent completion of Maurel & Prom's campaign has brought the rig to the point where its next assignment can proceed.

Today's announcement confirms the contractual connection between the two projects and represents the culmination of several months of developments that AminexInvestors.com has been following. What began as an indication from Tanzanian authorities has now become a signed agreement between APT and CPTDC, securing the drilling unit for the next stage of the Ntorya development.

Having the rig already within Tanzania is a practical advantage, particularly given the considerable logistics involved in transporting large drilling equipment internationally. Rig 8000 has been operating in the country's natural gas industry and can now be prepared for its next assignment in southern Tanzania, where the Ntorya drilling programme is scheduled to begin in December.

December Brings Two Important Milestones

The timing of the contract is particularly significant because Ntorya is approaching two major operational milestones. The first is the planned commencement of gas production from NT-2 in December 2026, while the second is the scheduled start of drilling at NT-3 during the same month. Together, these activities represent an important transition for a development that has spent many years progressing through exploration, appraisal, planning and infrastructure construction.

Under the September operational programme, work on NT-2 includes the removal of the bridge plug and subsequent well testing during November, ahead of the introduction of gas into the Ntorya-Madimba pipeline. The pipeline provides the connection between the Ntorya field and Tanzania's existing natural gas transmission network, allowing production to enter the domestic energy market and contribute towards the country's growing demand for gas.

Alongside these preparations, the signing of the Rig 8000 contract advances the next phase of drilling. The decision to bring NT-3 forward in the development sequence was announced in September, with the well scheduled to spud in December and subsequently contribute to the expansion of production capacity. Securing the rig is therefore an important step towards delivering a programme that combines the commencement of initial production with further development of the reservoir.

These two activities are complementary rather than dependent upon one another. Initial production from NT-2 is intended to establish the first phase of gas supply, while NT-3 will provide additional reservoir information and, following successful drilling and completion, contribute towards increasing production. The combination gives the coming months particular importance for Aminex and its partners as the field moves into a new stage of development.

Why Ntorya-3 Matters

The decision to prioritise NT-3, previously identified as Ntorya-Central, is especially interesting when considered alongside the geological information presented at Aminex's September AGM. The company's seismic interpretation suggests that the central part of the reservoir system could contain substantially greater gross reservoir thickness than that encountered at NT-2, offering an attractive location for further appraisal and development drilling.

As discussed in our October analysis, the geological interpretation indicates the potential for more than 200 metres of gross reservoir thickness at the NT-3 location, compared with approximately 51 metres shown at NT-2 on the relevant seismic section. The interpretation also suggests the possibility of encountering more than two lithostratigraphic units, which could provide valuable additional information about the structure, extent and characteristics of the Ntorya reservoir.

These geological expectations help explain the importance attached to the well and the decision to bring it forward in the drilling sequence. NT-3 is designed to improve understanding of the central reservoir while also providing another potential production well, combining the benefits of further appraisal with the practical requirements of expanding the field's productive capacity.

Under the September development programme, first gas from NT-3 is targeted for September 2027. The well therefore forms an important part of the transition from initial production towards the larger volumes envisaged in the field development plan, making today's rig contract a significant milestone for the programme extending into next year.

Building Towards a Larger Gas Development

The wider Ntorya development programme extends considerably beyond the first two producing wells. Aminex's September update outlined further activity involving NT-1, the potential drilling of Ntorya-East and Ntorya-West, and the continuing commitment to Chikumbi-1. The joint venture has approved work programmes and budgets contemplating gross expenditure of up to US$75 million across the remainder of 2026 and 2027, reflecting the scale of the development activity being planned.

The long-term objective is to establish Ntorya as an important source of domestic natural gas for Tanzania, with production increasing progressively as additional wells and infrastructure are brought into service. The development plan envisages an initial production level of approximately 60 MMscf/d, followed by expansion towards 140 MMscf/d and ultimately 280 MMscf/d, supporting electricity generation, industrial activity and the wider growth of the country's natural gas market.

For Aminex, which retains a 25% carried interest in the Ruvuma PSA, the advancement of this programme is particularly important. The carried-interest arrangement provides exposure to the development of a substantial natural gas resource, while the investment and operational responsibilities associated with bringing the field into production are being undertaken by the operator under the terms of the existing agreements.

The signing of the Rig 8000 contract is another demonstration of that development activity progressing, adding to the work already undertaken on the Ntorya-Madimba pipeline, production infrastructure and preparations for initial gas supply.

An Important Period for Aminex

Aminex Executive Chairman Charles Santos welcomed the signing of the contract, adding another positive development to a period in which the company's operational programme has been gathering momentum.

For shareholders who have followed Ntorya over many years, the importance of these developments lies in their cumulative effect. The pipeline has reached full-line connection, preparations for initial gas production are advancing, the revised drilling programme has been established and the rig required for NT-3 has now been secured. Each represents a practical element of the wider development, bringing the field closer to the production and expansion phases that have long formed the basis of the investment case.

The confirmation of Rig 8000 is also a satisfying conclusion to the story that began with the original announcement from Tanzanian authorities linking the Mnazi Bay drilling campaign to Ntorya. Following months of monitoring the progress of Maurel & Prom's operations, that connection has now been formally established through the signing of the drilling contract.

With December approaching, attention is increasingly focused on the commencement of gas production and the start of the next drilling campaign. The combination of these activities promises to make the closing weeks of 2026 an important period in Ntorya's development history, with further drilling and production expansion already planned for 2027.

Today's announcement is another substantial step along that path and welcome evidence of the continuing progress being made towards establishing Ntorya as a producing natural gas field serving Tanzania's growing energy requirements.

Contributing Author: Andrew Eldridge

Sources

Aminex PLC, 3 November 2026, RNS 6634B, Ntorya – Rig Contract Signed. Confirmation of the CPTDC Rig 8000 contract for NT-3.
Aminex PLC, 23 September 2026, Ntorya Operations Update. Drilling timetable, first gas, further wells and approved budgets.
Aminex PLC, 2 September 2026, Revised Implementation Programme. Government-supported development sequencing.
AminexInvestors.com, 21 September 2026, Kasa-1X Drilling Completes as Tanzania Calls for More Gas. Previous analysis of the Mnazi Bay rig connection.
AminexInvestors.com, 11 October 2026, NT-3 Targets More Than 200 Metres of Gross Reservoir. Analysis of the geological significance of the new well.

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