TotalEnergies is a leader in the global energy sector, as a multi-energy company set on delivering affordable, accessible, and sustainable energy across its 130 countries of operation. With the global demand for energy continuing to rise, TotalEnergies is delivering energy projects that can deliver the vital resources needed for today, whilst doing so in a way that protects the energy resources of the future. TotalEnergies achieves this through close work with the local communities in which it operates to ensure that every development across its energy portfolio is towards one cohesive goal. In recent years, we’ve seen TotalEnergies’ operations expand rapidly across Africa, utilising the rich deposits across the coast of the continent to deliver energy resources to its respective countries. One project that has been of particular interest is TotalEnergies Tilenga Project within Uganda, which is delivering significant oil for the country and neighbouring markets.
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TotalEnergies has been operating in Uganda for 70 years, with its operations today spanning from downstream petrol and retail locations to upstream activities in offshore development. Its initial role in Uganda was via TotalEnergies Marketing Uganda Ltd, the marketing and services subsidiary of the global operation in the country. Across this division, TotalEnergies operates more than 200 stations countrywide, positioning the company as the leading downstream retailer for the country. However, as TotalEnergies’ role in Uganda has continued to expand, it began operations within the upstream development, with its operations falling under TotalEnergies E&P Uganda. It was this upstream affiliate which began work offshore and is now home to two of Uganda’s most vital oil projects: Tilenga and EACOP.
TotalEnergies E&P Uganda is part of a joint venture partnership with CNNOC Uganda and the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC). TotalEnergies holds 56.67% interest in the subsidiary, with CNNOC and UNOC holding 28.33% and 15% respectively. The central purpose of the joint venture is to oversee and develop the upstream sector of Uganda, making the most of the deposits in Lake Albert. The most notable development across this region is the Tilenga project, which spans 6 fields of operations, including the districts of Bulisa and Nwoya. Across these fields, TotalEnergies E&P Uganda are drilling 400 wells across 31 well pads. At peak production, the project is expected to deliver 190,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd), delivering significant oil development for Uganda.
The Tilenga project is being developed with TotalEnergies’ commitment to limit social, environmental and biodiversity impacts in mind. In fact, Phillippe Groueix, Country Chair of TotalEnergies Uganda and the General Manager of TotalEnergies EP Uganda, outlined on the company’s website that as a company, “we are proud to be part of Uganda’s energy journey by supporting the development of not only oil and gas resources but also renewables in line with our multi-energy ambition. Our ambition is anchored on our desire to achieve together with society net zero emissions by 2050 and to foster sustainable development in the countries where we operate”. Grouiex’s comments highlight how TotalEnergies E&P Uganda’s projects are founded on a commitment to deliver vital energy resources but in the most sustainable way possible, whilst supporting the local communities in which they operate at every step.
Oil produced from the Tilenga project will then be transported via the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), the second of TotalEnergies E&P Uganda’s key developments in the upstream energy market. EACOP is operated by EACOP Ltd., and shareholder TotalEnergies East African Midstream with a 63% share, whilst UNOC (15%), CNOOC (8%) and the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) (15%) hold the remaining shares. EACOP is vital for Tanzania, as it will connect the oil developed from Tilenga to the country via the pipeline and to the Port of Tanga in Tanzania, where the oil reserves will be stored in a terminal, and then loaded onto a jetty and distributed to end markets. The pipeline connects directly with the central processing facility, flow lines, lake water abstraction facility, and feeder lines, as well as to construction camps and support bases.
Both the Tilenga Project and EACOP are vital to the local community surrounding the developments as they provide close to 80,000 jobs, with at least 11,000 of these being direct jobs given to the local community. Therefore, through the development of both projects under TotalEnergies, the company remains committed to ensuring that its operations support the local community on both a social and economic level. This approach, which centres its employees, is further reflected in TotalEnergies E&P Uganda’s commitment to safety, where the company continues to foster a culture of safety and responsibility across its operations. In fact, in 2023, the Tilenga project announced it had reached a new milestone of 20 million man-hours achieved without lost time accidents. With the announcement of this milestone, it is clear that throughout all operations under TotalEnergies in Uganda, the company remains committed to ensuring that safety is a central pillar of its operations.
For TotalEnergies E&P Uganda, it has relentlessly worked to build a culture across its more than 8,000 employees and contractors where risk mitigation and safety are paramount for all operations. This sentiment was reiterated by Groueix, TotalEnergies E&P Uganda General Manager, in the announcement, that “At TotalEnergies, safety is the cornerstone of the company’s values because at the end of the day, a company that is not safe is not sustainable. We are therefore uncompromising when it comes to safety”. Groueix continues, “This achievement of this milestone reflects our collective commitment towards delivering this complex and large-scale project without accidents and puts us well on our way towards becoming one of the best performing TotalEnergies affiliates in safety”. This commitment to safety remains such a vital priority for TotalEnergies E&P Uganda and is evident across the company’s organisation structure, filtering down to the stakeholders and suppliers that help maintain this vital level of safety across its operations.
Across TotalEnergies E&P Uganda’s operations, there is a keen focus to bring the vital energy resources needed to power everyday lives across the country and the surrounding region, whilst also working to support health and safety across its operations. From Tilenga to ECAOP, TotalEnergies is consistently bringing and developing vital resources for Uganda’s energy sector, and in the process, strengthening Uganda’s position as a key energy provider across both neighbouring countries and the world. We look forward to seeing how Tilenga will continue to be developed with sustainability, safety and energy delivery in mind to support Uganda’s ongoing role as a leading energy supplier across the region.
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