Kingfisher oil project 99% complete as govt hails environmental, social safeguards
“Our own assessment today, as far as Kingfisher is concerned, is good. We are getting there. I am also happy that the project-affected persons have been compensated, except for a very few of them. This is good, meaning that we are moving together,” said Alum.
President Yoweri Museveni launching oil production at at Kingfisher in Kikuube recently. (File photo)
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The government has commended the Kingfisher oil project for its progress in compensating affected communities, employing Ugandans and addressing environmental concerns as the country prepares for its "first oil" production phase.
Economic monitoring state minister Sandra Santa Alum made the remarks following an oversight visit to the Kingfisher Development Area to assess the project's preparedness.
She expressed satisfaction with the progress, particularly measures aimed at ensuring that communities affected by the project are not left behind.
Alum noted that while the vast majority of project-affected persons had received compensation, a few cases remained unresolved.
“Our own assessment today, as far as Kingfisher is concerned, is good. We are getting there. I am also happy that the project-affected persons have been compensated, except for a very few of them. This is good, meaning that we are moving together,” she said.
Alum also highlighted the significant presence of Ugandans working on the project as an indication that the country's local-content aspirations were being realised.
“I’m happy that here we have a number of young Ugandans. That is the local content,” she added.
Environmental and technical readiness
“The environmental concerns that we asked for have been taken care of,” Alum said.
Her comments come as operators undertake final preparations at the Kingfisher Central Processing Facility (CPF) ahead of first oil.
Seith Muhumuza, head of stakeholder management at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU), said the facility was 99% complete and undergoing pre-commissioning and commissioning works.
Muhumuza said 22 of the 31 planned wells had been drilled, with completion works ongoing. The project has also installed meters, pig launchers and pig receivers at the CPF.
“Technically, we are getting ready for the first oil,” he said.
Regarding environmental management during the production phase, Muhumuza said strict waste disposal protocols were in place.
“All waste generated is transported, treated, and managed by specialised third parties,” he explained, adding that the waste management framework would continue once the project enters full production.
Project operations
The Kingfisher Development Area, located in Kikuube district along the south-eastern shores of Lake Albert, is one of Uganda's two primary commercial oil projects, alongside TotalEnergies' Tilenga project.
At peak capacity, Kingfisher is designed to produce 40,000 barrels of oil per day (BOPD), with initial commercial output expected to start at roughly 25,000 BOPD during its ramp-up phase.
Extraction relies on 31 development and injection wells spread across four well pads, using specialised ultra-deep directionally drilled wells that extend up to 7 kilometres beneath Lake Albert.
Uganda's crude, officially branded "Pearl Sweet", is described as a medium-density, low-sulphur oil.
Its high wax content requires thermal management throughout extraction and transport.
Road to first oil
Uganda is currently targeting June 2027 for the commencement of commercial oil production. Following updated financial and technical reviews, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, together with the PAU, recently adjusted the official target for first commercial oil to the end of the 2026/2027 financial year.
The physical construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) is expected to be completed by mid-December 2026, at which point the pipeline will be ready to receive test crude.
However, because filling the 1,443-kilometre heated pipeline and transporting the oil to Tanga Port is expected to take two to three months, actual commercial export sales and initial state revenues are slated for 2027.
Meanwhile, upstream well drilling and CPF construction at both the Kingfisher and Tilenga projects remain highly advanced, laying the groundwork for commercial output once EACOP commissioning is completed.