Museveni to launch Uganda’s first oil production rig next week
Written by admin on January 20, 2023
President Yoweri Museveni will early next week commission the now fully assembled Kingfisher oil production rig at Buhuka fishing area on the shore of Lake Albert in Kyangwali Sub-county, Kikuube District in Bunyoro Region.
Energy and Mineral Development Minister, Ms Ruth Nankabirwa told the press this (Friday) morning that the president will commission the rig on Tuesday, January 24.
The rig that will be operated by CNOOC Uganda Ltd in the Kingfisher oil area arrived in Uganda in September 2022 was fully installed in November 2022.
It will be used to drill all the 11 oil pads in the Kingfisher area including the deepest one which goes 7km underground.
Meanwhile, TotalEnergies Uganda Ltd which operates the Tilenga Project in Buliisa and Nwoya districts also shipped in the first of its three rigs.
The Tilenga rig which will be used 31 oil pads arrived in the country in October 2022.
It is still being kept at the JBR5 site in Buliisa district awaiting installation.
“Construction of rig 2 and 3 has been completed while assembly inspection, factory acceptance tests and endurance tests are at 100 and 85 per cent respectively. Shipment of the remaining TotalEnergies rigs to Uganda are ongoing, Ms Nankabirwa announced at the Ministry of Energy annual press briefing in Kampala.
