KAMPALA – The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (Eacop) project is on track to start transporting crude oil from Uganda to Tanzania by 2026, executives said, despite facing pressure from activists and challenges in securing financing.
The $5 billion project, which will transport 230,000 barrels of oil per day at peak production, has reached an overall progress of 55 percent, according to Guillaume Dulout, the managing director of Eacop Ltd.
“The project is at 55 percent. We hope in 2026 that the oil will flow from Uganda’s Albertine down to Tanga. That is our objective,” Dulout told participants at the 11th East African Petroleum Conference and Exhibition (EAPCE) 2025.
The pipeline, which spans 1,443km from Uganda’s Hoima District to the Indian Ocean port of Tanga in Tanzania, is expected to position East Africa as a key player in global energy markets.
Despite facing challenges, Dulout said that crucial components of the infrastructure are complete, while others are on track for completion by the end of this year and the pipeline itself, next year.
The offshore facility, which includes the jetty, terminal, and export hub, is at 70.4 percent completion, while the construction of the high-tech oil export terminal is anticipated to be completed by October 2025.
The project has faced pressure from activists, who have threatened to disrupt the project’s efforts to secure external financing. However, Dulout said that the project is on track to meet its deadline.
The Eacop project is a key component of Uganda’s oil and gas sector, which is expected to drive economic growth and development in the country.
The project has also created economic opportunities for local communities, with approximately 80 percent of the pipeline lying in Tanzanian territory, spanning eight regions.
The buried, thermally insulated pipeline is designed to minimize its environmental footprint while providing economic benefits to local communities.
Discussion about this post