Uganda 2024: Oil Production Countdown and the East African Crude Pipeline
Uganda's Lake Albert oil fields, with 6 billion barrels of proven reserves, are targeting first production in 2025 via the East African Crude Pipeline through Tanzania. TotalEnergies leads the $10 billion EACOP investment.
Uganda's oil production era is approaching. The Kingfisher and Tilenga oil fields in the Lake Albert basin hold 6.5 billion barrels of proven and probable reserves, of which 1.4 billion barrels are targeted for development under the Final Investment Decision signed in February 2022. TotalEnergies (56 percent operator) and CNOOC (28 percent) are developing the fields with first oil targeted for 2025-26. The $3.5 billion East African Crude Pipeline, the world's longest heated crude pipeline at 1,443 kilometres, will carry Uganda's heavy waxy crude from Hoima to the Chongoleani terminal near Tanga, Tanzania.
Development Impact
Oil production will transform Uganda's external accounts, adding $1-2 billion annually in export revenues. Local content requirements mandate 30 percent Ugandan participation in contracts and 40 percent Ugandan staffing in production operations. Critics note that EACOP passes through water catchment areas and the Sudd wetlands, with environmental groups (including French and Belgian pension funds that divested from TotalEnergies) highlighting ecological risks. Businesses seeking supply chain and local content opportunities in Uganda's oil sector can access procurement contacts on intra-africa.com.
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