CNOOC UGANDA STARTS FIRST OIL DRILLING IN HOIMA

A section of the Kingfisher 4 oil well in Hoima District where CNOOC has started drilling for oil.

Hoima, Sunday. China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has started the first oil drilling phase in Hoima District. The drilling of Kingfisher 4 well, which started early this month, is the first since the exploration phase ended and will pave way for commercial production. “It is the first well which CNOOC Uganda has drilled in Kingfisher oil field,” said the CNOOC public relations supervisor, Ms Aminah Bukenya, on Tuesday. 

She said the drilling of Kingfisher 4, a pre-development well, will help the experts to further determine the amount of the oil reserves in place. “Kingfisher 4 will be the first highly deviated and extended well in the Albert region,” she said. Ms Bukenya said CNOOC Uganda would comply with the relevant regulations and follow guidance of the approved Environment and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) recommendations to ensure the well is drilled in a safe and efficient manner.

Government granted an oil production licence to CNOOC in September 2013. CNOOC has expanded an airstrip and upgraded camps which were left behind by its predecessor Heritage Oil and Gas, a British firm that discovered the oil in the Kingfisher well. The Chinese firm estimates that Kingfisher oil field will produce 40,000 barrels of oil per day. 

NMG