Uganda is developing its oil and gas projects to tap into its oil and gas resources, lift people of Uganda out of poverty and contribute to sustainable development.
To fully harness the potential of these resources, the country needs critical infrastructure.
A key component of this infrastructure is the oil pipeline since Uganda is a landlocked country. As a result, the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) is under development.
The EACOP is an export pipeline that will transport crude oil from Kabaale Pump Station (PS1) in Hoima district (Uganda) to a marine storage terminal (MST) at Chongoleani, Tanga on the East African coast of Tanzania for export to the international market.
The crude oil will reach Kabaale Pump Station through feeder pipelines connected to the Central Processing Facilities at the Kingfisher Development Area located at the shores of Lake Albert in Kikuube district and Tilenga Development Area located in Buliisa and Nwoya districts.
The EACOP is funded by four venture partners which include; TotalEnergies E&P as the biggest shareholder with 62%, Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) on behalf of Government of Ugandan holding 15%, Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) on behalf of Government of Tanzania – 15% and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) – 8%.
The EACOP pipeline route and the location of the associated facilities were selected during a multi-year process based on comprehensive feasibility studies aiming to avoid environmentally and socially sensitive areas and areas of high population density.
The 1,444-kilometer EACOP pipeline is the longest heated crude oil pipeline in the world.
The oil pipeline includes six pumping stations and a heat tracing system. The physical characteristics of the oil mean that it needs to be kept at a temperature of at least 50°C for transportation.
The current status of EACOP construction is welding and stringing of the pipes on the right of way, not trenching and laying as claimed by some media reports.
The construction of the oil pipeline has faced strong opposition from human rights groups, environmental campaigners and some western governments, including the European Parliament which in 2022 passed a resolution halting the construction of EACOP on grounds that it is dangerous to the environment and harmful to the livelihoods of tens of thousands of local people.
Environment
The route of the pipeline was designed to avoid sensitive environmental areas.
The Manager of Above Ground Installation for the EACOP Project, Hadi Watfa explained that there are so many innovations and technologies put in place to ensure that oil flows safely from Hoima to Tanga.
The oil pipeline will be buried underground and covered with soil. On top, vegetation will be restored.
“We divided this project into two components; the above ground installation, which are the pump stations, and underground, which is the pipe. So the pipe, which is 1,444 kilometers long, will vanish,” said Watfa.
“So in the future, if a plane or somebody is traveling over all the right of way of the pipeline, he or she will not see anything. So, this is where and how we are going to really integrate into the environment this pipeline. All what you will see are the pump stations in Uganda and pump stations in Tanzania,” he observed.
