Speaking during the press briefing held at Amber House in Kampala on Wednesday, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development Ruth Nankabirwa, announced that the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project has achieved several key milestones.
Nankabirwa revealed that the project, which is pivotal to Uganda’s energy strategy, has made significant strides in engineering, procurement, and construction, bringing the country closer to realizing its oil export potential.
Minister Nankabirwa highlighted the ongoing progress and future plans, emphasizing the government’s commitment to advancing this critical infrastructure. “Since the EACOP Company was granted a Construction License in 2023, civil works have commenced at the Main Camps and Pipe Yards (MCPYs) in Hoima and Sembabule districts,” she stated.
Providing an update on the overall progress, Minister Nankabirwa shared, “The Engineering, Procurement, Construction Management, and Commissioning (EPCMC) activities for the EACOP project are ongoing, with overall progress at 39.2%. The engineering phase is at 81.1%, procurement is at 54.5%, and construction and commissioning are at 15.4%.” She further noted that the “detailed engineering, being carried out by Worley, is at 89.1%, surpassing the planned 88.3%.”
Minister Nankabirwa also announced the completion of a key milestone in Tanzania: “The construction of the thermal insulation plant in Nzega District, Tabora region in Tanzania was completed and commissioned on 26th March 2024.” This has enabled the delivery of “seven batches of line pipe, totaling 500 kilometers, to Tanzania, of which five batches have been delivered to the Thermal Insulation System plant in Nzega.”
Regarding the progress of civil works, she noted, “China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Ltd (CPP), the pipeline construction contractor, has begun civil works at the Pump Stations (PS) and Main Camp and Pipe Yard (MCPY) sites in both Uganda and Tanzania.” She added, “In Uganda, work has been completed at three of the five MCPYs located in Hoima, Kakumiro, and Sembabule districts, while work continues at the MCPYs in Mubende and Kyotera districts.”
On land acquisition, Minister Nankabirwa provided an update: “The EACOP project spans approximately 2,740 acres in Uganda, affecting 3,660 individuals, with 177 requiring resettlement housing. All resettlement houses have been constructed and handed over.” She also noted that “95% of affected persons have received compensation, and 97% have signed compensation agreements,” though she acknowledged ongoing challenges, with “112 cases under consideration for compulsory land acquisition.”
Beyond the pipeline, Minister Nankabirwa emphasized Uganda’s continued efforts to enhance its petroleum resources, which currently stand at “6.5 billion barrels, with 1.5 billion recoverable.” She mentioned ongoing exploration studies in the Moroto-Kadam Basin and Kyoga Basin, with early results suggesting “the potential for commercial oil and gas in the Moroto-Kadam Basin.”
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