Lake Malawi, Tanzania. Photo: Samson via Adobe Stock.
Updip advantage in the Rukwa Basin
Over the past decade, the Rukwa Basin in western Tanzania has become a hot spot for helium exploration. Charles FitzRoy, CEO of Rift Helium, explains the advantages of being a third mover: High concentrations of helium have been proven, the geology is better understood, and the government has adjusted its regulations
It all started when two geologists who were exploring for gold read an article in the local paper about helium seeps in the Rukwa Valley. They decided to make a detour and check it out for themselves. The men saw gas bubbling up in the lake and decided to fill an empty water bottle. Lab analysis indeed confirmed that the bottle contained significant levels of helium.
That’s how helium exploration in Tanzania, and particularly the Rukwa basin, got its start. First through exploration and drilling by Helium One and Noble Helium, and now third mover Rift Helium has taken up acreage and obtained government permission to start ground work.
Green light
Charles FitzRoy tells GEO EXPRO what the company has in store and its confidence in finding a commercial helium reservoir. “The recent achievement of securing the environmental impact certificate is an important milestone for Rift,” he explains, “we now have the green light for a 3D seismic survey and to drill up to three exploration wells.” With £8 M raised from investors, there is nothing that stands in the way of the campaign kicking off.
Rift Helium’s Upepo project comprises three license blocks on the south-eastern shore of Lake Rukwa. The most promising part of the acreage is adjacent to where Helium One drilled the Itumbula West-1 well. The Itumbula discovery found around 5 % helium dissolved in water and trapped within fault zones that extent into the basement. “Our seismic analysis shows that we are updip from Itumbula-West,” Charles explains, “Helium One is looking at the migration path, while we think the helium is accumulating in structural traps on our acreage.” Rift Helium’s data interpretation shows multiple three-way dip closures in the rift sediments that cover the faulted basement. The expectation is that helium is migrating from deeper levels and pooling as free gas at about 600 m depth.
Target ranking
The 3D seismic survey will bring more clarity on the rifting-related subsurface structures, a huge improvement from the legacy 2D seismic that has been used up to now. To get a drill in to the ground as quickly as possible, seismic reprocessing of the key areas will be fast-tracked, this will allow for quick data interpretation and ranking of the targets. The locations for the exploration wells can then be determined. “The aim is to start drilling in the first half of 2027, after the rainy season,” explains Charles. “It will be an exciting and busy time that should culminate in the discovery of a commercial helium reservoir.”
And the two geologist that initially sampled helium in an empty bottle? They gave up on finding gold and have been actively and successfully exploring for helium around the globe ever since.
