Gov’t renews Oranto Petroleum license to drill more oil wells in Albertine Graben

KIKUUBE-Oranto Petroleum Limited resumed its activities to explore the commercial viability of oil reserves established at Ngasa oil field in the Albertine Graben after the government renewed its license.

Oranto Petroleum Limited is a Nigerian private African-focused exploration and production group.

If the company discovers oil reserve depots after the drilling it means the current oil reserves estimated at 6.5 billion barrels discovered so far in the country will increase. The recoverable quantity of the oil which can actually be sucked out of the ground is between 1.4 billion barrels to 1.7bln barrels.

Ngasa oil field is located in Kaiso village in Buseruka Sub-county Hoima district and in Kondo village Kabwoya sub-county in Kikuube district.

Government had given a four-year-exploration license to the company in 2017 and its activities were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 as it moved to the second phase shortly after the company completed the seismic survey.

According to Abdul Byakagaba Bazaara, the company’s general manager, government recently compensated them for the two years they spent without working due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Byakagaba noted that the two-year license extension requires the company to drill at least one exploration well before the end of 2023.

To be on the safe side, Oranto Petroleum has decided to start with a well-spotted onshore Lake Albert, saying offshore places may be too complicated to drill without ample preparation time.

Byakagaba added that due to the sensitivity of the block whose four spotted drilling points are inside Lake Albert waters, they will use best technology and practices to ensure the safety of life in water, air, and on land.

Stephen Mwijakubi Murungi, the company’s national content, and social leader explained that the stage of exploration will determine the quantity and quality of oil in their field of exploration and inform the next step.

He noted the process will involve drilling three kilometres into the oil reserve depots to ascertain if there is still oil and gas discovered during seismic survey exploration.

“If we get viable oil reserves, the government pays back all we have invested in. If we don’t find oil there; it just says ‘you are unlucky’ and we pack ours to move to other areas,” he said.

He noted during the two years license, the company has several activities to implement sensitization of the community and other stakeholders, carrying out an environmental social impact assessment [ESIA], construction of the roads, and construction of the camp and oil pads among others.

He noted that they expect to create over 800 jobs during these exploration activities and challenged the community to get prepared to tap these opportunities.

However, he expressed optimism that the Ngasa oil block is viable based on the seismic study results.

Sam Mugisa, the social affairs coordinator at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda [PAU], urged people who missed opportunities in the exploration phase of Tilenga and Kingfisher due to lack of preparedness to build their capacity, saying they will be needed during development and production phases.

According to seismic survey data, out of the five oil wells which were discovered four of them are under Lake Albert which has generated fear that it may affect fishing activities.

However, Byakagaba ensured that exploration will not disrupt fishing activities, adding that some inconveniences may not be avoided especially during the movement of exploration equipment in certain areas.

“Fishermen should not be worried about their livelihoods because all that is taken into consideration as we move to do our work,” said Byakagaba.

https://thecooperator.news/23-million-oil-project-launched-in-the-albertine-graben/

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