Uganda names crude blend Pearl Sweet ahead of expected oil production

Mbale,UPDATED: Sep 2, 2026 22:56 IST

Uganda on Wednesday named its prospective crude oil blend "Pearl Sweet", in a step towards commercial oil production expected by the end of the year. Officials announced the name at an oil infrastructure site as the East African country marked its emergence as an oil producer.

The blend name refers to Winston Churchill's description of Uganda as "the pearl of Africa", while "sweet" points to the crude's low sulphur content. Uganda is estimated to have recoverable oil reserves of about 1.6 billion barrels, with French energy company TotalEnergies holding the largest stake, alongside China Offshore Oil Corporation, or CNOOC. Through the Uganda Oil Company, the Ugandan people own 15 per cent of the project.

In a statement, the Ministry of Energy said, "The name combines national identity with a commercial description. Naming supports future crude marketing activities and engagement with potential buyers." Production is expected to level out at about 230,000 barrels per day, with blended crude exports coming from separate projects run by CNOOC and TotalEnergies.

Wednesday's event took place in Kikuube, at the site of CNOOC's Kingfisher project, and was seen as a sign of progress after legal and other setbacks since commercially viable crude deposits were discovered two decades ago. President Yoweri Museveni said, "This marks an important milestone in our journey to develop Uganda's oil and gas resources for value addition and economic transformation. Through refining, petrochemical industries and the use of associated gas for electricity generation, we shall maximise the value of our resources here at home and reduce dependence on imported petroleum products."

Uganda's oil development projects are tied to the controversial construction of a heated pipeline from the oil fields near Lake Albert to a port in Tanzania. Environmentalists and other critics have opposed the pipeline, saying it goes against the Paris Climate Agreement. Much of the campaign against Uganda's oil projects has focused on TotalEnergies, which has faced at least two lawsuits in France from groups and individuals alleging violations of food and land rights.

Oil wells are being drilled inside western Uganda's Murchison Falls Park, where the Nile drops 130 feet through a gap just 20 feet wide, and the surrounding wilderness is home to hippos, egrets, giraffes and antelope. The pipeline is also set to pass through forest reserves and game parks, and run along Lake Victoria, a source of fresh water for 40 million people. Activists say this ecological sensitivity is one reason to oppose the project, despite assurances from TotalEnergies that the pipeline's design will keep it safe for decades.

Ugandan officials have reacted angrily to opposition to the pipeline, saying climate campaigns amount to interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign country. They argue that oil wealth can help lift millions out of poverty. With the naming of "Pearl Sweet", Uganda has marked a key stage in its push to begin oil production while debate over the wider project continues.

With PTI Inputs

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