On 30th October 2024, Noble Helium announced sampling significantly above background helium concentrations in its North Rukwa Project.
In the Kinambo area of North Rukwa, gas bubbles were detected along a 6-kilometer stretch of shoreline, each containing elevated helium levels.
These helium-rich gas samples were analyzed using advanced Mini-Ruedi portable mass spectrometry by a team from the University of Dar es Salaam’s School of Mines and Geosciences.
The project area lies 35 kilometers south of the Mbelele well locations, aligning with potential shallow gas targets identified in Noble Helium’s upcoming drilling plans.
According to Noble Helium’s Managing Director and CEO, Shaun Scott, the sampling provides critical insights for the drilling program.
Scott emphasized that these promising helium levels, combined with quality reservoirs similar to Mbelele, enhance confidence in the exploration’s success.
He added that two initial drilling locations have been selected in the southern part of the project, in line with the high helium concentrations discovered in the “Kinambo bubbles.”
Scott emphasized that with support from 3D seismic data and recent shallow seismic surveys conducted by the University of Dar es Salaam, these locations exhibit structural anomalies suggesting high potential for stacked helium gas deposits.
He added that a drilling program is expected to be expedited, with Noble Helium aiming to confirm free gas helium accumulations in these promising sites.
Scott underlined that this development marks a major opportunity for Tanzania, as the global demand for helium remains high, driven by its applications in medical technology, electronics, and scientific research.
The North Rukwa Helium Exploration
The North Rukwa helium exploration project in Tanzania has made notable advancements in identifying and quantifying helium resources within the Rukwa Rift Basin.
The project covers an area of approximately 1,899 square kilometers across twelve prospecting licenses held by companies such as Helium One Global and Noble Helium.
Recent assessments have revealed an independently verified Best-Estimate Unrisked Prospective Recoverable Helium Resource of 138 billion cubic feet (Bcf).
Estimates suggest a total un-risked mean prospective resource of 176 Bcf, positioning the Rukwa Basin as one of the largest primary helium resources globally.
Helium concentration levels in the region are particularly noteworthy with surface seeps showing concentrations as high as 10.6%, which is significantly above the typical range of 0.1% to 0.3% found in other hydrocarbon-producing areas.
Recent drilling results have further confirmed this trend, with free-air helium compositions recorded between 2% and 3% during tests at the Mbelele-2 well.
This well also demonstrated a total net reservoir thickness of 163 meters, which exceeded pre-drill estimates by an impressive 243%, indicating excellent reservoir quality and flow potential.
