Tilenga Oil Project Surpasses First Oil requirement

By Edrisa Ssentongo

During the working visit conducted by the Executive Director of Petroleum authority of Uganda Ernest Rubondo, it has been confirmed that Tilenga Oil Project has surpassed the first oil requirements.

The oversight working visit examined project components which covers both north and south of River Nile providing a comprehensive update on the progress across Uganda’s flagship upstream development operated by Total Energies EP Uganda.

420 wells will be drilled across 29 well pads under the Tilenga project which is expected to produce 190,000 barrels of oil per day at Peak production which achievement places the Tilenga project ahead of schedule on its drilling target.

During the Executive Director’s working visit at Tilenga industrial area where significant infrastructure is taking shape making major steps toward fuel operational readiness.

Total Energies EP Uganda confirmed that Tilenga project was over 60% overall progress with steady advancement across civil works, mechanical installations, drilling operations and pipeline operations.

Speaking to Journalists after the two day working visit Ernest Rubondo commended the pace of work and reaffirmed the sector’s alignment towards achieving first oil by July 2026.

“All the key are working to ensure the first oil requirement is achieved in all Uganda’s major petroleum developmentd,”Ernest Rubondo said.

Uganda’s other major petroleum developments are Kingfisher project under CNOOC Uganda Limited with 76% completion and East African crude oil pipeline with 80% overall progress with all 296Km of line pipe for Uganda delivered by 20th January 2026 and 200 Km of Pipeline welded on the Ugandan section.

The oversight tour underscores the strong momentum driving Uganda’s oil and gas sector with drilling ahead of targets and construction progressing across critical facilities and the country remains firmly on track to convince oil production within the planned timeframe.