Oil Drilling Begins at Chinese-run Field in Uganda
2023-02-05
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1Drilling has begun at a Chinese-operated oil field in Uganda.
2Officials in the East African nation say they expect oil production to begin by 2025.
3A spokesman for Uganda's ministry of energy and mineral development, Solomon Muyita, spoke to The Associated Press about the drilling operation.
4He said the start of drilling at the Kingfisher oil field in the Kikuube district of western Uganda was a big step toward industrial oil production.
5The China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) operates the field.
6The project has been strongly criticized by environmental groups.
7Uganda is estimated to have recoverable oil reserves of at least 1.4 billion barrels.
8Muyita also said construction would begin this year on the 1,443-kilometer East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline.
9That project is being developed jointly by CNOOC and the French energy company TotalEnergies.
10The pipeline will run between Uganda and the Indian Ocean port of Tanga in Tanzania.
11Officials have described the project as the world's longest heated oil pipeline.
12It should also be completed by 2025, Muyita said.
13Climate activists have raised concerns about the effects of the pipeline on local communities and the environment.
14Last year, Uganda's president was angered by a resolution by the European Parliament that urged the international community to put "maximum pressure" on Ugandan and Tanzanian officials over the project.
15The resolution said the pipeline would threaten environments "in protected and sensitive ecosystems, including the shores of Lake Albert."
16The EU parliament also warned that the pipeline project placed 100,000 people "at imminent risk" of displacement, without providing effective guarantees of payment, known as compensation.
17Ugandan officials consider the pipeline important to economic development.
18They argue that oil wealth can lift millions of people out of poverty.
19Uganda's National Environmental Management Authority has sought to ease environmental concerns.
20And Muyita told the AP that thousands of families displaced by the project have already been compensated.
21I'm Bryan Lynn.
1Drilling has begun at a Chinese-operated oil field in Uganda. Officials in the East African nation say they expect oil production to begin by 2025. 2A spokesman for Uganda's ministry of energy and mineral development, Solomon Muyita, spoke to The Associated Press about the drilling operation. He said the start of drilling at the Kingfisher oil field in the Kikuube district of western Uganda was a big step toward industrial oil production. 3The China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) operates the field. The project has been strongly criticized by environmental groups. 4Uganda is estimated to have recoverable oil reserves of at least 1.4 billion barrels. 5Muyita also said construction would begin this year on the 1,443-kilometer East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline. That project is being developed jointly by CNOOC and the French energy company TotalEnergies. The pipeline will run between Uganda and the Indian Ocean port of Tanga in Tanzania. 6Officials have described the project as the world's longest heated oil pipeline. It should also be completed by 2025, Muyita said. Climate activists have raised concerns about the effects of the pipeline on local communities and the environment. 7Last year, Uganda's president was angered by a resolution by the European Parliament that urged the international community to put "maximum pressure" on Ugandan and Tanzanian officials over the project. The resolution said the pipeline would threaten environments "in protected and sensitive ecosystems, including the shores of Lake Albert." 8The EU parliament also warned that the pipeline project placed 100,000 people "at imminent risk" of displacement, without providing effective guarantees of payment, known as compensation. 9Ugandan officials consider the pipeline important to economic development. They argue that oil wealth can lift millions of people out of poverty. 10Uganda's National Environmental Management Authority has sought to ease environmental concerns. And Muyita told the AP that thousands of families displaced by the project have already been compensated. 11I'm Bryan Lynn. 12The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. 13____________________________________________________________ 14Words in This Story 15drill - v. to use a tool or machine to make holes in a hard substance 16maximum - adj. the largest amount possible 17imminent - adj. coming or happening very soon 18________________________________________________________________ 19What do you think of this story? We want to hear from you. We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: 20Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here.