Uganda Prepares for Commercial Oil Extraction by End of 2026
Uganda is preparing to extract its first barrels of commercial oil, a milestone repeatedly delayed since the discovery of the Lake Albert fields nearly twenty years ago. The government has targeted a combined startup of the Kingfisher field and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (Eacop) before the end of 2026.
The Kingfisher field, operated by Chinese state company CNOOC, is expected to produce 28,000 barrels per day initially. It will reach 40,000 barrels per day early next year, according to Irene Batebe, permanent secretary at Uganda's Ministry of Energy.
TotalEnergies and CNOOC are partners in the two major oil developments of the Lake Albert basin, Tilenga and Kingfisher. The Ugandan state holds 15% of Tilenga, alongside TotalEnergies EP Uganda with 56.67% and CNOOC Uganda with 28.33%. The combined production from both fields is expected to reach a plateau of 230,000 barrels per day.
The Eacop pipeline, which will transport the crude oil to the Indian Ocean via Tanzania, is 92.7% complete. Authorities say they hope for Kingfisher and Eacop to enter production before the end of the year.