Drilling Operations At Kingfisher Oilfield, On Uganda's Lake Albert

UNSPECIFIED, UGANDA - MARCH 12: Construction workers leave the Central Processing Facility at Kingfisher oilfield on March 12, 2025 in Kikuube, Uganda. Located on the southeastern shores of Uganda's Lake Albert, the Kingfisher oilfield first launched drilling in 2023 and is expected to produce 40,000 barrels of crude oil per day at its peak, as Uganda aims to boost its economy through development of its oil and gas reserves. The Kingfisher site, operated by the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), has drawn controversy for alleged human rights abuses over accusations of sexual exploitation and violence perpetrated by workers from the oilfield, forced evictions, and loss of livelihoods. TotalEnergies, a majority share owner in the project, has also faced financing issues and legal challenges by climate groups over its development of the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), designed to link Uganda's landlocked oil fields in Western Uganda to Tanzania's Tanga port on the Indian Ocean. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Getty Images)