Uganda - Oil and GasUganda - Oil and Gas
Overview
Uganda has 6.5 billion barrels of oil reserves located mostly on its western border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At least 1.4 billion of those reserves are estimated to be economically recoverable. French firm Total, S.A., Chinese firm China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), and U.K. firm Tullow have production licenses to develop Uganda’s oil reserves for export. On April 10, the Albertine Graben Refinery Consortium (AGRC) – a U.S.-led group of companies including General Electric (GE), YAATRA Africa, and the Italian engineering firm Saipem SPA – officially won the right to finance, build, and operate an approximately $3 billion oil refinery in Uganda, signing a Project Framework Agreement (PFA) with the Government of Uganda (GOU).
The infrastructure required to develop Uganda’s oil sector is estimated to cost several billion dollars and major construction in the up-, mid-, and downstream components of the sector is projected by the government to begin in 2019. On May 19, 2017, the presidents of Uganda and Tanzania signed an agreement over construction terms for a 1400 km heated oil export pipeline from western Uganda to Tanzania’s Indian Ocean port of Tanga, but development remains stalled as the two governments negotiate the transit tariff. Commercial disputes among production license holders and project delays mean Uganda will likely not see “first oil” exported until well after the GOU’s 2020 deadline.
NOTE FOR U.S. FIRMS LOOKING TO PARTICIPATE IN UGANDA’S OIL SECTOR
In December 2016, the Government of Uganda finalized the implementing regulations for the 2013 Petroleum (Exploration, Development and Production) Act: http://www.mia.go.ug/resource/laws-and-regulations
Section 10 (2)(n) of the Petroleum (Exploration, Development and Production) Act, 2013 the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) must “ensure the establishment of a central database of persons involved in petroleum activities.”
The Petroleum Authority requests firms seeking to be placed on the National Supplier Database attest that their registration documents are authentic. The Petroleum Authority has notified the Embassy that notarizing this attestation at the U.S. Embassy satisfies the Petroleum Authority’s requirement.
** Please note: U.S. Embassy personnel cannot notarize documents on behalf of U.S. firms. Firms cannot have their registration documents directly notarized because the notary was not present during the incorporation process. Instead, firms must present a document, which attests that they presented their registration to the notary. Please leave a space for the company representative to sign (in front of the notary) and for the notary to sign and stamp. **
For further questions about the notarization process, or to schedule a notary appointment, please email KampalaUSCitizen@state.gov with your requested appointment date and time. The Embassy offers notary services Mondays and Thursdays from 10:00 -11:00 a.m. This service costs $50 per notary.
Once you’ve notarized the document, please email a scanned copy of the notarized attestation document along with a copy of your company’s registration documents to the PAU’s administrator Christine Nakyonyi: nsd@pau.go.ug
Please find additional information about our notary services on our website: https://ug.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/notaries-public/
For any further questions, please notify the Commercial Section: CommercialKampala@state.gov
| Oil & Gas Stats | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Imports of Petroleum Products (cubic meters) | 1,214,366 | 1,313,350 | 1,438,847 | 1,622,516 | 1,849,520 | |
| Annual Exports of Petroleum Products (cubic meters) * | 1,125,472 | 1,152,436 | 1,265,288 | 1,443,505 |
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Leading Sub-Sectors* Note: Although Uganda has not begun production or refining of its own oil reserves, it still acts as a transit hub for refined oil products for other land-locked East African countries. As a result, these number reflect the amount of oil transiting Uganda – not what is produced locally.
Opportunities
Ancillary Services: With upstream and midstream projects currently under FEED, international oil companies are increasingly looking for service subcontractors including housing, road infrastructure design and construction, environmental hazard controls, and vocational training services.Web Resources
Petroleum Authority of Uganda – National Supplier DatabaseU.S. Embassy Kampala – Notary Services [Select “Registering a U.S. firm on the National Supplier Database”]
Uganda Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development
Department of Geological Survey and Mines of Uganda
Oil firms with Production Licenses
Total Uganda Ltd
Plot 4, 8th street industrial area
P.O.Box 3079, Kampala, Uganda
Email: totaluganda@totaluganda.co.ug
Website: http://www.total.ug/home.html
CNOOC Uganda Ltd
Plot 22, Simba Towers, John Babiha (Acacia) Ave, Kampala, Uganda
Phone: +256-204-500-000
E-mail: cnooc@cnooc.com.cn
Website 1:http://www.cnoocltd.com/
Website 2:http://ug.total.com/en/cnooc-limited
Tullow Uganda Operations (PTY) Ltd
Plot 15 Yusef Lule Road
PO Box 16644
Kampala, Uganda
Fluor [FEED on production facilities]
Website 1: http://www.fluor.com/
Website 2:https://fluor.jobs/uga/jobs/
Chicago Bridge & Iron (now McDermott) [FEED on production facilities]
Website: https://www.mcdermott.com/
Gulf Interstate Engineering [FEED on export pipeline]
Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.
Uganda Oil and Gas Trade Development and Promotion