Uganda Names Blended Crude Grade Ahead of Commercial Production
Uganda's commercial oil production is expected to start by the end of this year, and the country has taken a key step towards that goal. The government has named its blended crude oil grade 'Pearl Sweet', which will be exported through the $5 billion East African Crude Oil Pipeline.
The pipeline, stretching 1,443 km from Uganda's oilfields to the Tanzanian port of Tanga on the Indian Ocean coast, is billed as the world's longest electrically heated crude oil pipeline. The country's recoverable oil reserves are estimated at 6.65 billion barrels, with peak production expected to reach 230,000 barrels per day.
France's TotalEnergies is the majority owner of the fields with a 56.67% stake, while its partner, China's CNOOC, holds 28.33%. The name 'Pearl Sweet' refers to the crude's low sulphur content and Uganda's description as the 'Pearl of Africa', a phrase popularised by former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.