By Ronald Musoke Excitement as estimate of Uganda’s oil reserves jump to 6.5 billion barrels On Aug.28, the government revised upwards the country’s petroleum resources by over 85% to about 6.5 billion barrels of oil initially in place. This was an upgrade of the 3.5 billion barrels of oil, which …
Read More »Unrefined oil politics
By Haggai Matsiko How close links to Mbabazi cost Chinese US$3bn deal When Uganda’s Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi visited China in June last year, he met with Wang Yilin, the chairman of China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC). At the time, The Independent heard from sources that the two discussed …
Read More »Oil sector decisions need to be timely in order not to delay process—Total Uganda boss
By Haggai Matsiko Loic Laurandel served as Total Exploration & Production General Manager for four years. The Independent’s Haggai Matsiko spoke to him about his tenure before he left for Bolivia. As you depart, if someone asked you, `how is the oil sector in Uganda?’ what would be your summary? …
Read More »Uganda oil refinery unfeasible: Tullow, Total, CNOOC not interested
By Andrew M. Mwenda Dr Duncan Clarke, author of the `Crude continent: The struggle for Africa’s Oil Prize’ and CEO of Global Pacific & Partners spoke to The Independent’s Andrew Mwenda. Assuming president Museveni called you and said look, Duncan I want you to be my advisor, how do I …
Read More »Uganda signs Memorandum of Understanding with Oil firms
Uganda has moved another step closer to tapping its first oil by signing a memorandum of understanding[MOU] with all the oil companies currently involved in developing the country’s oil resources. The conclusion of the MOU which was signed on Feb.5 by the government and the Chinese National Oil Offshore Company …
Read More »Slippery justice for oil spill victims
By Yemisi Akinbobola Lessons for Uganda as Nigerian villagers lose lawsuit against oil giant In a stunning and dramatic legal ruling that echoed from the serene court chambers in the Netherlands to the heart of rural Niger Delta in Nigeria, the District Court of The Hague dismissed all but one …
Read More »With our oil, we must build a `welfare state’
By Kavuma-Kaggwa With the oil and gas money we should provide completely free education, health and health We are now swimming in an extremely massive financial catastrophe following the stopping of the donor funding amounting to Shs930 Billion which was being given to our country every year by European countries …
Read More »Uganda issues first oil production licence to Chinese firm
By Ronald Musoke Uganda’s slow but steady march towards commercial production of its estimated 3.5 billion barrels of oil has been given new life following the government’s recent issuance of a production licence to the Chinese firm, CNOOC. Speaking to journalists at the energy ministry offices in Kampala on Sept. …
Read More »New risks to Uganda’s oil
By Job A. Kahigwa Urgent action needed as global energy game changers threaten projected benefits Since 2006 when its commercial oil discoveries were announced, Uganda has been preparing to join the ranks of the newest oil producing countries in the world. Seven years down the road (and more to come), …
Read More »Battle for oil contracts
By Haggai Matsiko Total E&P’s Shs 3.9 bn industry survey revives debate on local content in the oil sector With local businesses crying foul over big oil contracts and jobs going to international companies and expatriates, oil companies are drawing strategies to improve their local content input. French oil giant …
Read More »