A view of Lake Albert
Cnooc to start drilling in Uganda
Kampala is bullish about the country’s upstream future
Uganda may be able start producing oil from its Lake Albert developments ahead of schedule. Chinese state-controlled Cnooc will start drilling for oil on the Kingfisher field in February. Cnooc’s drilling “will enable Uganda to pump out 40,000bl/d in 2024, ahead of the June 2025 deadline the country set for first oil commercial production”, state-owned Uganda National Oil Company (Unoc) says. The Chinese firm erected the rig at Buhuka Flat last November. Cnooc (with 28.33pc) is partnered with Unoc (15pc) and French major TotalEnergies (56.67pc) in the Lake Albert development, which will send oil along the planned East Africa Crude Pipeline (Eacop) for export via the Tanzanian port of Tanga.
Also in this section
19 March 2026
The regional crisis highlights the undervalued role of fixed pipelines in the age of tanker flexibility
18 March 2026
Rising LNG exports and AI-driven power demand have raised concerns that US gas prices could climb sharply, but analysts say abundant shale supply and continued productivity gains should keep Henry Hub within a range that preserves the competitiveness of US LNG
18 March 2026
Risks of shortages in oil products may cause world leaders to panic and make mistakes instead of letting the market do what it does best
17 March 2026
The crisis in the Middle East has put LNG’s ability to offer security and flexibility under uncomfortable scrutiny
