Uganda has achieved a major milestone in its oil export ambitions with the arrival of the first batch of coated line pipes for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project. Delivered by nine trucks from a coating plant in Nzega, Tanzania, the insulated pipes were transported to the main camp and pipe yard in Kyotera District by China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co. Ltd (CPP), the project’s construction contractor.

This significant delivery propels the project forward, as developers target the export of Uganda’s first crude oil by the end of 2025. Civil works are already in full swing, focusing on essential infrastructure such as pumping stations, camps, pipe yards, and storage facilities along the 1,443-kilometer pipeline. Once completed, the pipeline will connect Uganda’s oil fields in the Albertine Basin to Tanzania’s Tanga port.

Valued at $5 billion, the EACOP project prioritizes environmental sustainability. Uganda’s 296-kilometer section will be fully carbon-neutral, relying on renewable energy sources like solar and hydroelectricity. Developers are also exploring similar renewable energy solutions for the Tanzanian section of the pipeline. Stakeholders include Uganda and Tanzania, each holding a 15% stake, TotalEnergies with 62%, and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) Uganda Limited holding 8%.