Oil Project Contractors benchmark Katosi Water Plant for the new Lake Water Abstraction Project in Buliisa.

The Contractors of the new Lake Water Abstraction Project in Buliisa district, Sinopec International Petroleum Service Company under the Tilenga Projects have been inspired by the structural design to support them embarking on their new project in western Uganda.

A Lake Water Abstraction System according to Tilenga Project experts will be constructed at Lake Albert to supply water for use during oil project operations.

“Water will be abstracted from the lake at a water intake structure fixed to the lake bottom approximately 1.5 km from the shoreline and transferred to the shoreline via an intake pipe laid along the lakebed” a report accessed by this website partly reveals.

The report said that the Project consists of 34 well pads and a network of buried pipelines that will collect the oil produced from each good pad and transport it to a Central Processing Facility (CPF) located within the Industrial. The Project infrastructure will also include a water abstraction system on the shore of Lake Albert and the construction of new roads and upgrades to existing roads.

Following the tour of the Katosi Drinking Water Treatment Plant (DWTP), Sinopec International Petroleum Service Co. (Uganda) Limited according to the experts provided the contractor with crucial insights for their upcoming Lake Water Abstraction (LWA) project in Buliisa, located along Lake Albert. The Katosi DWTP, renowned for its environmentally conscious design, was the ultimate reference point for SINOPEC as they prepared to undertake this significant initiative.

The delegation from Sinopec, which included Deputy Manager, Qi Ruian, Interface Manager, Dai Min, and Senior Public Relations Officer, Ruyonga Solomon, focused on various technical aspects of the Katosi facility. Their visit was particularly aimed at understanding the intricacies of the intake area, such as pipe depth and pump locations, key components that would influence the design and operation of their LWA project. The team’s attention was drawn to the offshore pumps at Katosi, which are designed to minimize noise emissions, a critical factor given the environmental sensitivity of the Albertine region.

Sinopec International Petroleum Service Co. Uganda, a Tier 1 contractor for Total Energies, is instrumental in three major oil and gas projects in the region: the Tilenga project, the Kingfisher project in Kikuube District (led by CNOOC), and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). Their current focus involves providing construction services for onshore facilities related to the production, storage, and export of heavy and waxy crude oil.

During their evaluation of the Katosi plant, the Sinopec team identified the plant’s offshore pumps as an ideal solution for their LWA project. Unlike submerged pumps, which are commonly used in other water abstraction points, the offshore pumps at Katosi offer practical advantages in terms of maintenance and operation. The minimal noise generated by these pumps aligns with the stringent environmental standards set by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) for the Tilenga project, making them particularly suitable for use in the Albertine region.

The insights gained from this visit will directly influence the design and operation of Sinopec’s LWA project, ensuring that it adheres to both operational efficiency and environmental stewardship. With a focus solely on extracting raw water without engaging in storage or treatment, Sinopec aims to incorporate the environmentally friendly practices observed at Katosi to meet the ecological demands of the Lake Albert project.

SINOPEC is an international energy and chemical company that has achieved upstream, midstream and downstream integration, has been ranked among the top 3 in the Fortune Global 500 for many consecutive years, with a wide range of products and services, its operations covering more than 70 countries and regions in the world. Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration and Production Corporation (SIPC) is a SINOPEC company specializing in international oil and gas investment and operation.

Since its establishment in 2001, SIPC has been adhering to the core values of “responsibility, integrity, shared values and enterprising”, and has strengthened friendly cooperation with resource countries and investment partners and exerted SINOPEC's upstream, middle stream and downstream integration advantages to strive to achieve a win-win goal. Currently, its overseas oil and gas business covers 26 countries, involving a total of 49 oil and gas exploration and development projects.