Uganda: Farmer Group Sues In UK Court To Block $5bn EACOP Project

A group of Ugandan farmers has filed a case in the UK High Court against the developer of the $5 billion East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), seeking to stop the nearly completed project on environmental grounds, Oilprice.com reported, citing Bloomberg.

The $5 billion pipeline, which will transport crude oil from Uganda’s Albertine Graben to the Tanzanian port of Tanga, is nearing completion after years of delays and controversy. The project is being developed by French energy major TotalEnergies.

EACOP has faced years of environmental scrutiny over its potential impact on ecosystems and communities along its route. Supporters argue the project could transform East Africa by creating jobs, attracting infrastructure investment and strengthening regional energy security.

Opponents, including the Ugandan farmers who filed the lawsuit against UK-registered EACOP Ltd, argue that the pipeline, associated oil production and its route would harm water resources, wildlife and biodiversity.

The 1,443-kilometre pipeline will enable Uganda to export crude oil for the first time. Production from the Albertine Rift Basin, where TotalEnergies and China’s CNOOC are developing the Tilenga and Kingfisher oilfields, is expected to peak at around 200,000 barrels per day.

The pipeline is designed to transport up to 216,000 barrels of crude oil per day, with capacity expected to increase to 246,000 barrels per day during ramp-up, according to the Ugandan government.

Construction of the pipeline could be completed as early as this month, with first oil exports expected later this year or in early 2027.

The plaintiffs hope the lawsuit will prevent the pipeline from becoming operational.

“The case seeks remedies that could go to the heart of the project’s commercial viability, including an injunction to stop oil being transported through the pipeline, as well as compensation and other legal relief under Ugandan law,” the farmers said in a statement issued through law firm Leigh Day, as cited by Bloomberg.