The East African Crude Oil Pipeline

Uganda

The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) will deliver crude from Uganda's Lake Albert upstream projects to the Tanzanian port of Tanga.

At 1,433 kilometres, EACOP will be the longest electrically heated pipeline in the world. Uganda’s waxy oil has to be maintained at a minimum temperature of 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).

PROJECT SPECS: With a diameter of 24 inches, the pipeline’s infrastructure will include six pumping stations, 27 heating stations and two pressure reduction stations. Buried at a depth of 1.8-2 metres, the pipeline will have an export flow rate of 216,000 bopd at plateau production. Its construction will involve the use of more than 500,000 tonnes of equipment.

INVESTMENT: EACOP represents an investment of around USD 3 billion.

STAKEHOLDERS: TotalEnergies holds a  62% stake in the project company, while the Uganda National Oil Company and Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation hold 15% each, and China’s CNOOC holds the remaining 8%.

MAIN CONTRACTORS: EPCMC is provided by Worley; pipeline, feeder line and aboveground installation by China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co.; terminals and tanks by Daqing Oilfield Construction Group Co.; electrical instrumentation by SNEF-Schneider; thermal insulation by ISOAF-PCEA; and main logistics by Bolloré-EALS.

BENEFITS: The pipeline investment is expected to stimulate the economy of both Uganda and Tanzania, as well as ultimately generating much-needed revenues for both host governments. The pipeline will bring with it the development of new infrastructure and logistics capacity, as well as technology transfer to local companies.

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