Oil: Government developing skills register

OIL PRODUCTION

After developing the national supplier database, the Government is now creating a talent skills databank for the oil and gas industry.

The national supplier database for 2017 was unveiled by the Petroleum Authority of Uganda recently.

The Government and the oil companies hired a consultant to create the talent skills register for the oil and gas sector.

A senior communications officer at the Petroleum Directorate, Gloria Sebikari, said the consultant has already developed a draft register.

Once it is ready, the Government will kick off the process of registering Ugandans with "skills" required in the oil industry.

"The register is in its final stages of development. We will engage the public after it is ready and then registration will start," said Sebikari.

Uganda has discovered 6.5 billion barrels of oil resource. Between 1.4 and 1.7 barrels of oil (reserves) are expected to be recovered from the resource.

The Government and oil companies plan to establish two central processing facilities in Buliisa and Buhuka in Hoima to move the crude oil from planned production sites to the refinery in Kabale.

The central processing facilities, refinery and the 1450km-long crude oil export pipeline from Hoima to Tanga seaport in Tanzania are expected to be established in the next three years.

Uganda intends to start oil production by 2020.