TotalEnergies advances drilling for the Tilenga oil field development in Uganda

The Tilenga oil field development project in western Uganda, led by France’s TotalEnergies, is moving from the planning phase to execution, with drilling platforms remaining continuously active. Tilenga is part of the oil resource development plan in the Lake Albert region, operated by TotalEnergies, and the project is located in the Buliisa and Nwoya districts.

Parts of the project are located around Murchison Falls National Park. The initial work focused on technical studies, environmental assessments, and government coordination. Currently, drilling has become a key phase, involving six oil fields and hundreds of wells, drilled from centralized well pads to minimize surface impact. TotalEnergies states that drilling lays the foundation for subsequent facilities, but oil production has not yet started.

Tilenga uses an integrated system: crude oil is transported via underground pipelines to a central processing facility, where separated natural gas is used for energy needs, and excess electricity will be sold. The project is developed in partnership between TotalEnergies, CNOOC Limited, and the Uganda National Oil Company. TotalEnergies emphasizes transparency, with environmental assessments conducted according to International Finance Corporation (IFC) guidelines and subject to third-party reviews.

As development wells continue to be drilled, the execution phase of Tilenga is gradually advancing, with attention paid to land acquisition, community engagement, and environmental management. Since no official timeline for first oil has been provided, drilling activity serves as a signal of the project’s transition from concept to execution.

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