Uganda edges closer to commercial oil production as China-aided Kingfisher field nears completion

Uganda's first commercial oilfield, Kingfisher, has reached mechanical completion, a milestone set to reshape the East African nation's economy as it prepares to join the ranks of oil-producing countries.

Located in western Uganda's Albertine Basin, the Kingfisher Oilfield is now entering its final construction phase. Officials on the ground say the project's core surface facilities are complete, including a central processing facility with an annual capacity of two million tons, four well pads, pipelines and supporting infrastructure.

The field is being jointly developed by China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and TotalEnergies, with CNOOC Uganda Limited serving as operator.

"The project has completed the construction of a 75,000-square-meter camp capable of accommodating 1,000 people, equivalent to the area of 10 standard football fields. The project team independently developed an intelligent, visualized project management platform for overseas operations, enabling real-time data sharing across companies, time zones and regions. This has created a replicable model for the digital management of overseas engineering projects," said Zhang Peng, general manager of COOEC Uganda Kingfisher Project.

For Uganda, the project could be a game-changer as the East African economy looks beyond its traditional reliance on agriculture and livestock. The government hopes petroleum production will generate jobs, spur infrastructure development and support new industries.

The project has currently employed more than 1,500 people, with local workers making up over 90 percent of the workforce. Expectations are rising over the project's potential economic impact. "Once fully operational, the Kingfisher Oilfield is expected to reach a peak production capacity of 40,000 barrels of crude oil per day. This will provide a strong boost to local employment, infrastructure development and related industries, helping transform Uganda's long-standing economic structure, which has heavily relied on agriculture and livestock, and creating new opportunities for the country's industrial development," said Liu Xiangdong, president of CNOOC Uganda Limited.

Uganda discovered commercial quantities of oil in the Albertine region in 2006 and has since invested in infrastructure to support the production, transportation and commercialization of its petroleum resources.

Uganda edges closer to commercial oil production as China-aided Kingfisher field nears completion

Former Jordanian Prime Minister Omar Razzaz has expressed the hope for greater tourism cooperation with China, saying his country offers magnificent landscape, rich historical heritage and a strong sense of safety.

Extending the invitation during an exclusive interview with China Media Group from Beijing, Razzaz shared a story of himself talking with one of his Chinese friends who traveled to Jordan.

"I asked a Chinese friend who visited Jordan as a tourist. And I said, so what did you think honestly, and she said, if I wanted to tell my Chinese brothers and sisters something, she said it would be that Jordan it's a beautiful nature, very different than anything experienced here. It's a very different history, people are very kind. And that was really a nice to hear her say and that it's a very safe place. You could walk in the street 12 in the morning or at three in the morning or three in the afternoon, and you're safe. It's like China in that sense, safety, and people are very welcoming," Razzaz said.

As travel between the two nations becomes easier with Jordan rolling out visa-issuance on arrival for Chinese citizens, Razzaz expressed his strong desire to see tourism act as a bridge to bring the people of Jordan and China closer together and deepening bilateral cultural exchanges.

"I'd like to welcome all Chinese people who are interested in understanding other cultures and understanding other communities and finding what's common between us all to visit Jordan and spend some time there. And the most important sites are Petra, which is one of the UNESCO top seven features and there are many others, the Dead Sea, Jerash, all these Roman cities that are ancient. And so, I'd like to extend an invitation to our Chinese partners and fellow citizens to come visit. And let's do much more of this than we have done in the past," said Razzaz.

Jordan's former PM expects greater tourism cooperation with China