Uganda Set to Kickstart Crude Oil Exports in Early 2027

The African country of Uganda is on track to become the world's newest crude oil exporter in early 2027. Landlocked Uganda has been developing its Tilenga and Kingfisher oil fields, with help from France's TotalEnergies and China's CNOOC. The country's officials say that it will soon export crude through a new pipeline to Tanzania's coast.

The $5 billion East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) is nearing completion after years of delays and controversies surrounding the project. Once finished, the 1,443-kilometer pipeline will enable Uganda to transport its oil for the first time, with production from the Albertine Rift Basin expected to peak at around 200,000 barrels per day.

The Ugandan National Oil Company (UNOC) has appointed global energy trader Vitol to market Uganda's Pearl Sweet crude oil ahead of exports. The Pearl Sweet crude oil has a low sulfur content of 0.12% and will be transported through the EACOP pipeline, which is now more than 90% complete.