Drilling of the first well for the Kingfisher field in Uganda has been completed. The well is around 3,000 m deep. The drilling of production wells for the Kingfisher and Tilenga oil production projects has been ongoing since January 2023.
This is in preparation for oil production in Uganda in 2025.
The initial phase of the Tilenga project will see the drilling of 12 development wells on the Jobi-5 well pad. The LR8001 rig is now located at the second well.
The Uganda oil project envisions drilling over 450 wells on 35 well pads, leading to a peak estimated production of 230,000 bpd, once production commences.
Ernest Rubondo, executive director at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, says: ‘The drilling of production wells is proceeding as planned towards first oil in 2025. The oil and gas activities especially the development of infrastructure worth over $15 billion (€13.5 billion) in the country before the commencement of production, together with the expected annual revenues in excess of $1 billion (€904 million) is beginning to significantly impact the country’s economy. Oil production in the country is expected to peak at 230,000 bpd.’
Alex Nyombi, the director of development and production at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, says: ‘Three rigs have been designated for the drilling operations on the Tilenga project. Presently, Sinopec 1501 is operational at the Jobi-5 well pad, and commenced drilling operations on 28 June 2023. The second rig is undergoing final tests at the Ngiri 3 well-pad before commencing drilling, while the third rig is being assembled and is expected to commence operations in October 2023. For the Kingfisher project, the LR8001 rig has been operational since January 2023. Both rigs have noise suppressing technology, are fully automated and environmentally friendly.’
Uganda’s oil projects are a collaborative effort between TotalEnergies EP Uganda, CNOOC Uganda, and the Ugandan government, with the key facilities for the project encompassing the Central Processing Facility (CPF), well pads, flowlines, lake water abstraction, and other vital components.
