Aminah Bukenya
The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be held from September 4 to 6 in Beijing, China. Since its start in 2000, FO[1]CAC has focused on promoting dialogue and cooperation between China and Africa. The Kingfisher oilfield project in Buhuka Flats, Kikuube District, western Uganda, is a prime example of how this cooperation is yielding real results as the project moves forward.
After the discovery of oil reserves in Buhuka, extensive studies were carried out to ensure the project was implemented responsibly and sustainably. The project addressed land access and compensation issues for affected communities by following nation[1]al laws, international best practices, and en[1]gaging in wide consultations with local, cultural, district, and national leaders. Compensation for land and property owners was fair, conducted without coercion, and avoid[1]ed forceful evictions. The project also used questionnaires and other methods to understand community needs, and thorough sensitisation efforts ensured that affected people were informed about their rights, grievance mechanisms, and other essential information in languages they understood.
As part of our commitment to restoring and improving the livelihoods of communities affected by the project, we've implemented various livelihood restoration and impact mitigation programmes. These include a vocational skilling programme that trained 100 youth from affected families in skills such as welding, tailoring, hairdressing, and auto mechanics. Additionally, the programme introduced initiatives like poultry and piggery farming and provided high-quality breed bulls and goats to help upgrade the livestock in the area. Through our national content programme, we’ve also trained and certified over 1,200 youth from Hoima and Kikuube in AWS 3G-6G welding, ECITB certification, heavy goods vehicle driving, and special machinery operation, equipping them with skills to tap into opportunities within and beyond the sector.
CNOOC has maintained ongoing engagement with the community through regular stakeholder meetings, ranging from national to village levels, ensuring that all 29 villages in our operational area are included.
We've also implemented a proactive grievance handling mechanism, assigning Community Liaison Officers from CNOOC and our contractors to visit different villages daily. By doing so, we make ourselves accessible, allowing us to listen to residents' feedback and promptly address any issues that arise in the community.
As the development of the Kingfisher Oilfield has been going on, CNOOC has ensured that it minimises the impact on the communities by promoting green and sustainable development. This has been through use of the silent LR8001 rig. This rig is capable of drilling upto 8km underground but compared to conventional rigs, it achieves upto 30 percent reduction in noise levels meeting and exceeding the noise level requirements by Nema. The drilling activities have also ensured sound waste manage[1]ment practices such as operating a closed waste management system that ensures all drilling waste is collected and transported to the waste treatment facility.
The national grid is being extended to Buhuka Flats to utilise hydroelectric power for camps, reducing the reliance on diesel generators. In addition, the green development initiatives include planting trees in Buhuka, supporting the National Forestry Authority (NFA) in protecting Bugoma Central Forest Reserve (CFR), and implementing biodiversity conservation efforts such as monitoring species of concern in our operation area. Eight snakes, including the Egyptian Cobra, were rescued between March and July 2024 and relocated to safe habitats or handed over to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).
These are some of the ways CNOOC is ensuring the sustainable development of the Kingfisher Oilfield. They are part of a wider basket of initiatives including the construction of the escarpment road and the Buhuka Gravity Water System that serves a community of around 13,000 residents giving them access to clean drinking water and easy means of movement up and down the escarpment. These interventions have ensured positive contributions to the prosperity of Buhuka and Uganda at large.
Ms Aminah Bukenya is the Ag. Head of Department Corporate Affairs Department. CNOOC Uganda Limited
