The creation, dissemination, and application of knowledge are crucial for achieving sustainable development and have been at the heart of international development efforts since World War II. In conventional international development cooperation, the Global North is portrayed as the provider of knowledge and material assistance, with the South often perceived as a more passive receiver. This approach perpetuates hierarchical knowledge-power relations, as what is considered the ‘best practices’ are usually based on experiences, ideologies, and ideals from the North. This paper critically examines the current role of Western development actors as providers of knowledge and policy, specifically in the formulation of good governance for natural gas resources in Tanzania. Following significant offshore natural gas discoveries between 2010–2015, Tanzania has garnered the attention of international energy companies, foreign donors, technical advisors, and consultants, all offering guidance and capacity-building expertise to ready the country for production. Drawing on interviews with key actors supported by secondary sources, this analysis depicts how hierarchical knowledge relations persist, but also highlights the contested and evolving nature of what constitutes good governance of natural gas resources. The paper underscores how context matters in petroleum resource governance and, more broadly, the necessity for contextualising knowledge in international development cooperation.