Tom Okurut, executive director of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), talks to The Energy Year about the agency’s role in the development of Uganda’s oil and gas industry and the key risks involved in the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). NEMA is a semi-autonomous institution that co-ordinates, monitors, regulates and supervises environmental management in Uganda.
Which are the key risks of the EACOP that have been studied by NEMA?
The biggest risk is to the ground and surface water. We do not want to compromise our fisheries or our freshwater sources. We need to prevent any contamination of the water because this has a multiplier impact. Also, the pipeline is passing through farms and wetlands, so it’s important to protect the land. There are risks because part of the pipeline is in the Albertine region, where seismic activity is frequent.
In the EACOP pipeline, we have insisted that they use systems with valves such that if there is a problem, only the petroleum products in that segment may flow out. The EACOP pipeline shall have multiple pumping stations and these stations shall have pressure measurements and any drop in pressure due to leakages can be detected. Also, the pipeline shall be lined to prevent corrosion that could lead to leaks. Overall, the pipeline will be digitally monitored coupled with consistent human inspections.
Of course, the community will be compensated if the pipe passes through their land or corridors. We have to find alternative ways to get people access to areas on the other side of the pipeline, as appropriate. There are also places where the new construction will affect the chimpanzee and monkey populations, so the developers will have to put in a connector path for the animals to climb and cross.
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