The Head of the International Economic Cooperation (IEC) Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Santa Mary Laker Kinyera, has highlighted the significance of using technology that will ensure environmental conservation during the transportation of crude oil in the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).
Speaking at the visit of the Pump Station 1 (PS1) of the EACOP at Kabaale village in Hoima district, the ambassador noted that the technology being used in the construction of the EACOP is one of the measures incorporated into the project that will align Uganda’s environmental conservation with the country’s broader vision for sustainable development.
Her comment followed a brief to the delegation on the project’s innovative technologies being used to reduce the environmental impact of the pipeline in which it was revealed that clean energy integration is a crucial component in the construction of the EACOP of Uganda’s growing energy sector.
In all the transportation of oil in the pipeline from Hoima in Uganda to Tanzania, hydroelectricity and solar power will be used, according to EACOP officials during the visit.
“In line with the global environmental sustainability goals, three of the pump stations including PS 1, PS2 and PS3 will be powered by hydroelectricity, while PS4 PS5 and PS6 will be powered by solar energy. This integration of clean energy will significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the project, reinforcing EACOP’s commitment to sustainable energy solutions.” The officials said.
Ms Kinyera appreciated the progress made on the EACOP project and lauded the engineering team for their dedication to the excellence in environmental sustainability and technical dedication.
The pipeline is being laid 1.5 metres below the surface with a 30-meter-wide right-of-way corridor to ensure safety, efficiency and minimal disruption to the surrounding environment.
The EACOP is a 1,443km crude oil export pipeline that will transport Uganda’s crude oil from Kabaale in Hoima, Uganda to the Chongoleani Peninsula near Tanga in Tanzania.
It will have a peak of capacity of 246,000 bbls/day. The first 296 km of EACOP are in Uganda and the remaining 1,147 km are in Tanzania.
