Chinsali Pumping Station

Maintenance on the line has proven difficult since the pipeline's inception in 1968, with many leaks recorded since then. Repair of those leaks was necessary to avoid environmental degradation and to prevent further losses of crude oil.

In 2013, as part of the Governments of Zambia and Tanzania initiative to rehabilitate the entire pipeline, CSI Energy Group was contracted to upgrade three pumping stations. Works on the Chinsali station included the replacement of old engines with new 3508 CAT units, together with the commissioning of SPX BB3 pumps and VOITH fluid coupling turbos.

Together with upgrades at six other stations the capacity of Tazama was considerably improved, pushing it from its initial handling (600,000 tonnes) to a potential 1.1 million tonnes per year.