population growth and influx has been witnessed.
29 The population growth and
influx has precipitated land grabbing plus wealthy individuals processing communal
land titles into private freehold titles.
In effect, the Graben is rich in environmental and wildlife resources and this
demands strict implementation of conservations laws so that oil exploration and
development activities do not harm the land and the rich ecology. Oil reserves are
finite, it is pertinent that oil resource extraction does not compromise the fertile land
since livelihood of the communities living in the Graben were dependent upon the
biodiversity.
30
Ever since government embarked on several physical infrastructures to promote
the oil industry, several developments are ongoing including construction of roads,
an international airport, a 60,000 barrels-per-day Greenfield refinery.
31
With these developments, the scenic environment is at threat since Uganda’s oil is
waxy, infrastructure requirements are larger.
32 Extra power plants are required to
conduct heating, storage, and transport of oil plus the shallow depths of oil wells and
weak natural flow pressures will require significant water injection for oil extraction.
33 Most water injected in the wells is extracted from Lake Albert, water demand
is at the peak during the construction phase of the key projects estimated at
75,000 ml per day.
34 Consequently it is not yet clear where the released waste
water which contains oil deposits will be stored and recycled.
To exacerbate issues, leaders in the Albertine area have also decried the increasing cases of land grabbing as well as irregularities in the process of compensating
people whose land and properties are affected by oil and gas infrastructural
projects.
35
2.3 Oil Exploration in the Graben
Statements on Oil seepages in Uganda were initially availed by locals and later
E.J. Waylands a government geologist further documented substantial amounts of
hydrocarbons in the Albertine Graben.
36
The first wells, Waki-B1 were drilled by the Anglo European Investment Company of South Africa in 1938.
37 With the emergency of World War II, the oil and gas
29 Golombok and Jones (2015), p. 3.
30 Oil in Uganda (March 6th, 2018).
31 The Independent (July 18th, 2017).
32 Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (2015), p. 36.
33 Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (2015), p. 36.
34 MEMD (2017), p. 5.
35 Oil in Uganda (March 6th, 2018).
36 Johnson et al. (2014), p. 26.
37 SNF (2011).
Land Conservation in the Albertine Graben Region of Uganda: A Critical. . .
83
29 The population growth and
influx has precipitated land grabbing plus wealthy individuals processing communal
land titles into private freehold titles.
In effect, the Graben is rich in environmental and wildlife resources and this
demands strict implementation of conservations laws so that oil exploration and
development activities do not harm the land and the rich ecology. Oil reserves are
finite, it is pertinent that oil resource extraction does not compromise the fertile land
since livelihood of the communities living in the Graben were dependent upon the
biodiversity.
30
Ever since government embarked on several physical infrastructures to promote
the oil industry, several developments are ongoing including construction of roads,
an international airport, a 60,000 barrels-per-day Greenfield refinery.
31
With these developments, the scenic environment is at threat since Uganda’s oil is
waxy, infrastructure requirements are larger.
32 Extra power plants are required to
conduct heating, storage, and transport of oil plus the shallow depths of oil wells and
weak natural flow pressures will require significant water injection for oil extraction.
33 Most water injected in the wells is extracted from Lake Albert, water demand
is at the peak during the construction phase of the key projects estimated at
75,000 ml per day.
34 Consequently it is not yet clear where the released waste
water which contains oil deposits will be stored and recycled.
To exacerbate issues, leaders in the Albertine area have also decried the increasing cases of land grabbing as well as irregularities in the process of compensating
people whose land and properties are affected by oil and gas infrastructural
projects.
35
2.3 Oil Exploration in the Graben
Statements on Oil seepages in Uganda were initially availed by locals and later
E.J. Waylands a government geologist further documented substantial amounts of
hydrocarbons in the Albertine Graben.
36
The first wells, Waki-B1 were drilled by the Anglo European Investment Company of South Africa in 1938.
37 With the emergency of World War II, the oil and gas
29 Golombok and Jones (2015), p. 3.
30 Oil in Uganda (March 6th, 2018).
31 The Independent (July 18th, 2017).
32 Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (2015), p. 36.
33 Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (2015), p. 36.
34 MEMD (2017), p. 5.
35 Oil in Uganda (March 6th, 2018).
36 Johnson et al. (2014), p. 26.
37 SNF (2011).
Land Conservation in the Albertine Graben Region of Uganda: A Critical. . .
83