Uganda refinery decision raises hopes for oil in 2018

The country's Lake Albert oilfields could start producing within the next three years

Production could start from Uganda’s Lake Albert oilfields in 2018, following the government’s selection of a group to construct an inland refinery. But output will be limited to the capacity of the refinery — 30,000 barrels a day (b/d) initially, later doubling to 60,000 b/d — until an export pipeline can be constructed.  The government chose a mainly-Russian group to build the refinery and own 60% of the venture, with the Ugandan state and neighbouring countries holding the other 40%. The group is headed by RT Global, a wholly-owned unit of the Russian state-owned defence company, Rostec, and in-cludes Russian oil producer Tatneft, Russian investment companies VTB Capital and Telconet Capi