Kikuube, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Construction works of the Central processing facility (CPF) for the Kingfisher Development Area (KFDA) in Kikuube district currently stand at 70 percent.
The China National Offshore Oil Company, Uganda (CUL) is the operator of KFDA on behalf of the Joint Venture Partners (JVPs) comprising TotalEnergies Exploration, and Production, Uganda (TEPU) with the majority participating interest of 56.67%, Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) with 15%, and CNOOC Uganda Limited (CUL) with 28.33%.
The Central processing facility (CPF) will have the capacity to process forty thousand (40,000) barrels of oil per day during peak production.
The processed crude oil will be transported to the Delivery Point at Nyamasoga village in Kabaale parish, Kabaale sub-county in Hoima district through a 10” inner diameter Feeder pipeline that is approximately forty- eight (48) km long.
Currently, the construction works of the CPF being executed by CCJV are steadily progressing well with the CNOOC officials stating that it will be ready by December 2025.
The major components of the Central Processing Facility include the installation of the on-spec tanks, sludge storage area, construction of Pipeline investigation gauge (PIG), Construction Fuel gas compressor, water treatment plant, Separators, Fire water pump, warehouse, fire water tank, substation, office building, Basic sediment and water plant (BS$W) and truck loading skid among other facilities. These are all crucial pieces of equipment needed for the CPF to effectively operate.
Other works at the facility construction of over eighteen (18) km of buried flow lines, a Lake Water Abstraction station together with supporting infrastructure, which includes camps, a Support base, a Materials yard, a Safety checkpoint, a jetty, and access roads.
Joseph Omwasa, a Communications Engineer with CNOOC Uganda Limited told Uganda Radio Network (URN) in an interview that, construction and installation of the key equipment that are crucial for the central processing facility to fully operate are being undertaken vigorously and that by December 2025, the facility will be ready.
Engineer Omwasa says some of the key remaining works at the facility are pipe fitting for oil and gas, construction of a substation, testing the equipment, construction of a warehouse, working on the underground flare package, fire water station and the office building among others.
The final investment decision (FID) for KFDA was announced in February 2022 alongside that for the sister project Tilenga and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).
The Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) for the KFDA Project was completed in February 2018.
The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) was completed, and a certificate was issued by the National Environment Management Authority in February 2020.
The development of the Kingfisher field is planned to be undertaken through onshore drilling of thirty-one (31) Development Wells from four (4) wells using one (1) drilling rig.
On January 24th, 2023, President Yoweri Museveni launched spudding (drilling) following the successful erection of a rig; LR8001 specially designed for the deep offshore oil wells.
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