Uganda is set to begin crude oil exports as construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) approaches completion, marking a key milestone in the country’s long-delayed oil development programme.
The 1,443-kilometre heated pipeline, which links Uganda’s Lake Albert oilfields to the Tanzanian port of Tanga on the Indian Ocean, is expected to be completed by the end of July, with first exports projected for October, according to project timelines.
Once operational, the pipeline is expected to transport more than 200,000 barrels per day of crude oil from Uganda’s Tilenga and Kingfisher fields to international markets via Tanzania’s coastline.
EACOP is designed to transport waxy crude oil requiring heating to maintain flow over long distances. Developers say it will be the world’s longest electrically heated crude oil pipeline.
The pipeline is fully buried along its route and includes monitoring stations and leak detection systems capable of isolating sections in the event of an incident, according to the EACOP company.
The project forms part of a wider upstream and midstream oil development scheme in Uganda, where commercial production has been in development for nearly two decades since discoveries in the Lake Albert basin.
Ugandan authorities say oil production will generate revenue to support infrastructure development and broader economic growth. Tanzania is expected to benefit through transit fees, infrastructure investment and related economic activity along the corridor.
The project has drawn international participation, including France’s TotalEnergies and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), which are developing upstream production facilities and associated infrastructure.
Environmental organisations have raised concerns over the pipeline’s route through ecologically sensitive areas in Uganda and Tanzania, calling for stronger safeguards to protect wildlife habitats and water resources. Developers say the project has been designed with safety systems, continuous monitoring and emergency shutdown capabilities to minimise risks.
Completion of EACOP will enable Uganda’s first commercial crude oil exports and establish a new export corridor linking inland production in East Africa to global markets via the Indian Ocean.
