Uganda, GE-led consortium seal deal to build refinery for recoverable 1.7bb oil reserves
After failed process in 2016 with Russia’s RT Global Resources oil group, Ugandan government on Monday revealed it had agreed preliminary terms with a consortium of investors led by General Electric (GE) to build and operate the country’s first oil refinery.
After the collapse of Russia’s investment plot, Business Hilights gathered further that discussions with a consortium led by South Korea’s SK Engineering also failed stress test.
Government geologists estimate Uganda’s oil reserves at 6.5 billion barrels, of which 1.4-1.7 billion are considered recoverable, meaning that the refinery may continue on imported products after the dry up of reserves.
Additional details show that the oil is due to start flowing in 2020 and the government is keen to build a refinery to process it and retain a larger slice of profits.
The ministry of energy and mineral development said “core project terms” had been agreed with the Albertine Graben Refinery Consortium (AGRC), whose other members include India’s Yatra Ventures LLC, and Italy’s Saipem SpA.
“The consortium has proposed … a financing approach and a path to establish, develop and operate a commercially viable refinery,” the ministry said in a statement.
A project framework agreement was expected to be signed within two months, it said.
Energy and Minerals Development Minister Irene Muloni said in November that France’s Total, one of three oil explorers operating in the country, wanted to take up a 10 percent stake in the refinery project.
Kenya and Tanzania have committed to stakes of 2.5 percent and 8 percent respectively, Muloni said at the time.
Commercially viable hydrocarbon deposits were discovered in 2006, but production has been slowed by tax disputes and disagreements over development strategy.
An export pipeline under development is due to be completed by 2020.
