President Yoweri Museveni has visited the Kingfisher Development Area in Kikuube District as Uganda’s oil project reaches another major milestone, bringing the country closer to commercial oil production.
The visit came as the Kingfisher Central Processing Facility (CPF), one of the key installations needed to process Uganda’s crude oil, reached mechanical completion.
Mechanical completion means that the main construction and installation work on the facility has been completed, paving the way for the next stages of testing, commissioning and preparation for production.
The Kingfisher project, operated by CNOOC Uganda Limited, is expected to produce about 40,000 barrels of oil per day at peak production.
Welcoming President Museveni to the project, CNOOC Uganda President Liu Xiangdong said the progress at Kingfisher was the result of years of investment, construction and cooperation between the government, the company, its partners, contractors and communities surrounding the oil project.
“When we look around Kingfisher today, we can see how far this project has come,” Liu said, adding that the development reflected years of hard work and support from the Ugandan government.
22 Wells Ready as Production Preparations Continue
The Kingfisher Development Area includes the Central Processing Facility, four well pads, workers’ camps, a supply base and a feeder pipeline connecting the project to Uganda’s wider crude oil export infrastructure.
CNOOC said 22 of the 31 planned wells are now ready, with some of the wells extending more than seven kilometres underground.
Work is continuing on the remaining wells, while pumping, flowback and other activities are also underway as the project prepares for production.
Once oil starts flowing from the wells, it will be transported to the Central Processing Facility, where the crude will be separated from water, gas and other materials.
The water will be reinjected into the reservoir, while waste will be sent for treatment. Associated gas will also be utilised for power generation and the production of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
The processed crude oil will then be transported through a 47-kilometre feeder pipeline to Pump Station 1, where it will join the East African Crude Oil Pipeline for transportation to Tanga Port in Tanzania.
With the Central Processing Facility now mechanically complete, the Kingfisher project is moving from the construction phase towards final preparations for production.
Thousands of Ugandans Gain Jobs and Skills
Beyond oil production, CNOOC says the project has created employment and training opportunities for thousands of Ugandans.
The company has partnered with the Uganda Petroleum Institute Kigumba to support the training of workers needed in the oil and gas industry.
The partnership has included support for a Centre of Excellence, an information technology centre and a life-size drilling rig for training purposes.
CNOOC has also supported vocational training in areas such as welding and heavy equipment operation, with more than 1,000 Ugandans benefiting from the programmes.
According to the company, thousands more Ugandans have worked on the Kingfisher project, gaining experience in different parts of the oil and gas industry, with some progressing into senior and departmental leadership positions.
“This is one of the things we consider a success story for Kingfisher,” Liu said.
“We are not only bringing technology into Uganda; we want the knowledge, skills and experience gained here to remain in Uganda and be passed on to the next generation.”
Local Businesses and Communities Also Benefit
CNOOC says the Kingfisher project has also created business opportunities for Ugandan companies in sectors including construction, transport, logistics and hospitality.
The company has additionally invested in projects in communities surrounding the development area.
Among them is the approximately seven-kilometre Kingfisher Escarpment Road, which serves five villages and has improved the movement of people, goods and services.
In agriculture, about 750 farmers have benefited from programmes involving rice and millet growing, piggery and tree planting.
Two demonstration gardens have also been established to help farmers learn improved farming practices.
The company has also supported health facilities and organised annual medical camps for communities around the project.
Focus Turns to Production
Environmental management and the use of cleaner energy sources remain part of the Kingfisher development, according to CNOOC.
The company is developing a facility that will produce LPG from associated gas once oil production begins. CNOOC says the initiative could provide households with an alternative to firewood and help reduce pressure on forests.
President Museveni has previously maintained that Uganda’s petroleum resources must be developed in a way that benefits citizens while protecting the environment.
His latest visit to Kingfisher comes as the project moves closer to production after years of drilling, construction and infrastructure development.
For Uganda, the mechanical completion of the Central Processing Facility represents more than just the completion of another structure.
It means one of the country’s most important oil projects is now moving into the final stages of preparation before crude begins flowing.
