CNOOC Uganda has erected the Kingfisher rig on location, in Uganda’s western Lake Albert, as drilling plans move ahead.
© Supplied by CNOOC Uganda / Ali“Progress upon progress. The journey to first oil continues at full pace!!!!” the Chinese company declared.
Uganda National Oil Co. (UNOC) linked the progress to the target of first oil in 2025.
The Chinese company is the operator of the Kingfisher field, which will produce around 40,000 barrels per day at peak.
Most of the Lake Albert production will come from the Tilenga field, which TotalEnergies operates.
Tilenga will provide around 210,000 bpd.
A Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) official yesterday said the rig was on its way to Tilenga, from the Mombasa port.
First oil update; The Tilenga rig snakes it’s way from Mombasa; Good times for @EacopSupport ;Sad news for the insufferable folks @stopEACOP .They will soon close shop. pic.twitter.com/N88tfsTuH7
— Ali Ssekatawa (@SsekatawaAli) November 6, 2022
© Supplied by CNOOC Uganda / AliThe Lake Albert project, and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) in particular, have come under environmental criticism. Efforts have been taken to reduce emissions from the project.
Total has also signed on to work with the Ugandan government in developing 120 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) last week. The solar PV plan was part of the original investment decision on the Lake Albert project, from February 2022.
Better from the start
UNOC CEO Proscovia Nabbanja, speaking last week at the Adipec conference, defended the environmental credentials of the Ugandan plan.
“We have an opportunity to do something about it. With these projects in the offing we can actually create solutions in our plan. We are not retrofitting, we do not have systems that are emitting lots, we can do it better right from the start,” she said.
Emerging questions around geopolitics and energy security push Uganda more to focus on developing its domestic industry, including refining, she said. “You’re going to see a lot of value addition in country.”