Slow progress on Uganda development

Seven years after discovering oil in Uganda, Tullow and its partners have still not agreed a development plan with the government. Talks on the details have dragged on for years, stalling mostly over how big a refinery the development should include, and the parties are still only at the stage of discussing a memorandum of understanding (MoU). Tullow, Total, CNOOC and the government have now agreed on an export pipeline and a refinery sized initially at 30,000 b/d, with the potential to expand to 60,000 b/d. The partnership has completed the concept stage of pipeline studies and discussions with the government on pipeline co-operation are continuing, Tullow said.