Government is on track to ensure that the first drop of oil is produced by the end of 2025, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa, announced on Wednesday.
According to Nankabirwa, 74 oil wells have been successfully drilled in Uganda’s western and northern regions, paving the way for commercial production next year. The wells are located in the Tilenga and Kingfisher production areas, which are part of the country’s oil development project.
At the Tilenga project, 63 out of 426 planned wells have been completed, with positive hydrocarbon shows in the targeted reservoirs. Drilling activities have focused on six of the 31 well pads, with all three rigs operational. Additionally, seven other well pads are over 85% complete and ready to receive a rig.
Civil works at the Tilenga Industrial Area, which will host the central processing facility and other facilities, are 99.7% complete.
At the Kingfisher Oil field, operated by CNOOC Uganda Limited, nine of the 11 wells required for First Oil have been successfully drilled. The development plan at Kingfisher includes a central processing facility with a capacity of 40,000 barrels per day and the drilling of 31 wells across four well pads.
President Yoweri Museveni launched the drilling of oil for commercial production at the Kingfisher Oil Field in January 2023.
The minister also reported that civil works on the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) have begun at pump stations and main camp and pipe yard sites in both Uganda and Tanzania.
The 1,443 km pipeline will transport crude oil from Hoima city to the Tanga Port in Tanzania. Uganda discovered 6.5 billion barrels of oil in 2006, with 1.4 billion barrels considered commercially viable.
