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Environmental, social and governance concerns to headline this year’s oil campaign
President Museveni launching oil extraction recently. Photo /File
What you need to know:
- The country has also taken a step in embracing electric vehicles and motorcycles in a bid to reduce emissions
Discussions surrounding how government and international oil firms are handling the environmental concerns in the oil regions, the social factors like compensating the project affected persons (PAPs), the realization of the first oil next year and governance of the oil revenue will be the lead topics as different experts gather to discuss the sector’s performance in the fourth edition of the ‘90 Days of Oil & Gas Media Campaign’
The Uganda Chamber Of Mines and Petroleum (UCMP), the campaign lead organisers said that it intended to bring together oil and gas sector players to spotlight key sector projects and activities ahead of FIRST OIL in 2025, amidst the global energy transition debate.
“At the centre of the campaign will be a concrete discussion about Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) success stories among the players. In addition, updates on drilling at the oil fields and related developments like the EACOP, the Refinery, Kabalega International Airport, oil roads effect, and related infrastructure will be shared,” Humphrey Asiimwe, the new Chief Executive Officer of UCMP said in a June 4 press statement.
“Project-affected persons, international oil companies, and their collaboration with local firms (local content) issues will also suffice. The campaign will offer an opportunity for stakeholders to network and share opportunities for the development of their enterprises,” he added.
The campaign which will run between June 4 and August 30, under the theme: Uganda’s journey to First Oil in the face of Just a Transition, comes at a time when the country is witnessing numerous protests from University students under their umbrella of Students Against Eacop Uganda have staged demonstrations to Parliament and Chinese Embassy over the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).
Police in Kampala last week arrested 31 students who had staged a demonstration at the Chinese Embassy when they sought to present their petition to the Ambassador of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to Uganda. Those who had in a space one month earlier staged a similar demonstration at Parliament were later released on Police Bond that day.
The country has also taken a step in embracing electric vehicles and motorcycles in a bid to reduce emissions.
The campaign, Asiimwe said will involve field trips, media talk shows/engagements, corporate social responsibility activities, and mini-workshops.
“The media will have an opportunity to report well-sourced articles by getting fast-hand information from the field, and participants like oil and gas experts, government officials, civil society organizations, International Oil Companies, cultural institutions, and more,” he said
Two global oil giants including Total Energies and China National Offshore Oil Company (Cnooc) in collaboration with the state-owned Uganda National Oil Company (Unoc) are undertaking oil and gas developments in the Albertan Graben. The oil giants are operating a joint venture partner where Cnooc is developing the Kikube-based Kingfisher Oil Development Area which is expected to produce 40,000 barrels of oil daily, at full production while Total is operating the Hoima-based Tilenga Oil Development Area which is expected to produce 200,000 barrels of oil daily at peak production.
“Therefore, as the country anxiously awaits FIRST OIL in 2025, and continues to see more investments in the sector at all levels, ”The 90 Days of Oil and Gas Media Campaign 4th Edition comes in handy to spotlight the nexus between oil and gas sector developments and the global energy transition debate,” Asiimwe said.
The 90 Days of Oil and Gas Media campaign is an annual activity on the Uganda Chamber of Mines and Petroleum (UCMP) calendar.
The campaign, Asiimwe noted, comes in the year 2024 when the oil and gas sector conversation is dominated by matters of energy transition, global energy trade, technology adoption, and accomplishing key downstream projects to enable the sector to progress.
