LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK ON DECOMMISSIONING OF UPSTREAM PETROLEUM INSTALLATIONS AND PROTECTION OF MARINE ECOSYSTEMS IN TANZANIA

Abstract

This article examines the effectiveness of Tanzania's
legislative and institutional framework governing
decommissioning of petroleum projects in protecting
marine ecosystems. The data used in this article were
collected using semi-structured interviews and content
analysis of laws, reports, and academic works. The findings
show that Tanzania's legal and institutional frameworks are
inadequate and ineffective in addressing decommissioning
as a whole. The article unveils that the law and practice in
Tanzania lack effective mechanisms to ensure that
decommissioning in petroleum projects results in positive
outcomes for the protection of marine ecosystems. The
legal regime imposes no mandatory obligation to the license
holder to conduct an assessment to guide on the choice of
decommissioning alternative. The article, therefore,
suggests reform in the legal regime governing
decommissioning of petroleum projects with a special
focus on the protection of marine ecosystems.