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4 clusters · 18 sources · 36 days · First seen · Last updated

Uganda oil production and export development

Overview

Uganda is advancing toward commercial oil production and global export, though the timeline for commencement has shifted. While previous estimates anticipated production by late September 2026, Finance Minister Henry Musasizi recently informed parliament’s finance committee that the target for first commercial production has been rescheduled to June 2027. This marks the seventh revision to the production timeline since the initial discovery of petroleum deposits in 2006.

Infrastructure development is entering critical phases. A recent oversight visit by the parliamentary Committee on the Budget confirmed that the 1,443-kilometer East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) has reached 92% completion and has entered the pre-commissioning and testing phase. The pipeline is designed to transport ‘Pearl Sweet’ crude from Hoima to Tanga, Tanzania.

Field-specific developments also show significant progress. The Kingfisher Development Project is reported as 90% complete, with all required production wells already drilled. The Tilenga Project stands at 78% completion, with 256 wells drilled to date.

Domestic refining capabilities remain a key component of the national strategy. The Kingfisher crude oil refinery in the Hoima District, led by UAE-based Alpha MBM Investments, has reached over 99% completion. Once operational, it is expected to process 60,000 barrels per day. President Yoweri Museveni has noted that local refining could help reduce the nation’s $2 billion petroleum import bill by avoiding the $12.77 per barrel transport fee required to move crude to Tanzania. To prepare for market entry, the Uganda National Oil Company has appointed Vitol to market the ‘Pearl Sweet’ crude.

Entities

East African Crude Oil Pipeline · CNOOC · TotalEnergies · Uganda National Oil Company · Uganda

Timeline

  1. [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Uganda petroleum projects reach advanced stages ahead of first oil

    Ugandan MPs inspected major oil and gas infrastructure, reporting that the EACOP pipeline is 92% complete and the Kingfisher and Tilenga projects are in advanced stages ahead of first oil.

  2. [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Uganda delays first commercial oil production to June 2027

    Uganda has delayed its first commercial oil production target to June 2027, the seventh such revision since discovery. The EACOP pipeline is expected to be ready to receive crude by late 2026.

  3. [BUSINESS] 3 sources
    Uganda nears oil export status as refinery reaches 99% completion

    Uganda is nearing oil export status for early 2027, with its Kingfisher refinery at 99% completion and the EACOP pipeline over 90% finished to transport “Pearl Sweet” crude to Tanzania.

  4. [BUSINESS] 13 sources
    Uganda names crude oil blend ‘Pearl Sweet’ ahead of production

    Uganda has named its crude oil blend ‘Pearl Sweet,’ marking a milestone as the country nears commercial production by late 2026 via the Tilenga and Kingfisher projects.

Sources

africa.businessinsider.com · afrikactus.com · agpguinee.com · businessfocus.co.ug · businesstechafrica.co.za · ecofinagency.com · entebbenews.net · galaxyfm.co.ug · insightpostug.com · mymotherlode.com · observer.ug · oilprice.com · panafricanvisions.com · riotimesonline.com · showbizuganda.com · tell.co.ke · ubc.go.ug · von.gov.ng

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history