The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) represents one of the most significant mega-infrastructure investments in modern African history. Spanning two nations and costing roughly $5 billion, the project is designed to connect Uganda’s landlocked Albertine Graben oilfields directly to international marine export routes on the Tanzanian coast.

With overall completion passing major construction milestones as work advances across both countries, here are six data-backed facts explaining how this energy corridor operates.

1. A 1,443-Kilometer Cross-Border Export Corridor

EACOP is designed to transport raw crude across East Africa to reach global shipping tankers. The physical route cuts across two distinct national territories:

  • Uganda Section: Covers 296 kilometers, traversing 10 districts from the northwestern oil hubs down to the southern border.
  • Tanzania Section: Covers 1,147 kilometers, passing through 8 regions including Kagera, Shinyanga, Tabora, Manyara, and Dodoma.
  • Starting Point: Kabaale in Hoima District, Uganda.
  • Terminal Point: Chongoleani Peninsula in Tanga Port, Tanzania.

The pipeline ends at an onshore marine terminal featuring large storage tanks and an offshore loading jetty extending into the ocean.

2. The World's Longest Electrically Heated Pipeline

Ugandan crude oil possesses high viscosity and a high wax content, causing it to solidify into a gel-like state at ambient room temperatures (pour point of ~40°C).

  • Pipe Diameter: 24 inches
  • Operating Temperature: Maintained continuously at 50°C (122°F) to ensure uninterrupted flow
  • Heating System: Uses an Intermittently Heated Cable (SNNC) insulation trace running along the entire length
  • Pumping Support: 6 high-capacity pumping stations strategically located along the corridor to regulate pressure and heat

This engineering specification makes EACOP the longest electrically heated crude oil pipeline on earth upon final commissioning.

3. Peak Capacity of 216,000 Barrels Per Day

The pipeline acts as the single primary transport vein for two main upstream extraction operations located around Lake Albert in Uganda:

  • Tilenga Project: Operated by TotalEnergies in the northern Lake Albert basin.
  • Kingfisher Project: Operated by CNOOC near the southern shores of Lake Albert.
  • Maximum Flow Design: Engineered to move up to 216,000 barrels of oil per day at full operational speed.

Transportation tariffs are set to generate steady pipeline revenue for both state partners once regular export shipments begin.

4. TotalEnergies Leads a Four-Party Joint Venture

The pipeline is owned and operated by EACOP Limited, a special-purpose corporate joint venture formed between French energy major TotalEnergies, state petroleum corporations, and CNOOC:

  • TotalEnergies (62% Equity Share): Serves as the lead operator and primary technical developer driving construction and field logistics.
  • Uganda National Oil Company / UNOC (15% Equity Share): Represents the Ugandan state's financial and commercial interests in the export corridor.
  • Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation / TPDC (15% Equity Share): Represents the Tanzanian government and manages national transit rights and infrastructure alignment.
  • China National Offshore Oil Corporation / CNOOC (8% Equity Share): Participates as an upstream partner and field developer operating the Kingfisher block.

Together, equity contributions from these four entities fund $2 billion of the overall project cost, while the remaining $3 billion is raised through external project financing.

5. Heavy Construction Reaches Final Assembly Stages

Project execution has progressed past raw land clearing and international pipe deliveries into advanced corridor welding and station fitting:

  • Line Pipe Deliveries: All required steel line pipes have been manufactured, insulated, and distributed to main logistics yards across Uganda and Tanzania.
  • Pipeline Welding & Laying: Pipeline sections have been welded end-to-end along the 1,443 km route, with over half the total line buried and backfilled.
  • Tanga Marine Terminal: Onshore tank farms and the offshore marine export jetty at Tanga Port are reaching final structural completion.

Peak construction activity has engaged over 12,000 active workers across both host countries.

6. Target First Oil Pushed Toward Commercial Commissioning

Following early route selection and the formal signing of the Final Investment Decision (FID) in 2022, the project transitioned into heavy civil construction.

  • 2023–2024: Completion of primary land acquisition compensation, community resettlement housing, and environmental clearances.
  • 2025: Finalization of pipe thermal insulation coating and main station procurement.
  • 2026–2027 Window: Final mechanical completion, system heating tests, and initial crude filling leading directly to first commercial export loading at Tanga Port.