KAMPALA (Realist English). On September 2, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni officially named the country’s export crude blend Pearl Sweet.
The name is no accident: “Pearl” references the country’s nickname — the “Pearl of Africa” — while “Sweet” indicates its low sulphur content.
On September 7, the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) announced the appointment of Dutch trader Vitol as the marketing agent for Pearl Sweet.
“Vitol will bring its international trading, marketing and logistics capabilities as Uganda completes infrastructure construction,” read a joint statement from UNOC and the Ministry of Energy. Vitol has also signed a $2 billion infrastructure financing agreement.
Energy Minister Monica Musenero described the naming as “another sign that Uganda is moving from the development stage to the supply stage.” Minister Irene Batebe reported last week that the Kingfisher project is 98% complete, with commissioning expected by the end of September.
Technical Specifications and Production Capacity
| Parameter | Value |
| Crude name | Pearl Sweet |
| Crude type | Medium-heavy sweet (28–31° API) |
| Sulphur content | Low |
| Peak production | 230,000 barrels per day |
| Fields | Tilenga (TotalEnergies) — 190,000 b/d; Kingfisher (CNOOC) — 40,000 b/d |
| Project investment | $15 billion |
| Recoverable reserves | ~1.65 billion barrels |
| EACOP length | 1,443 km |
| EACOP readiness | 92.7% |
Pearl Sweet crude will be produced from two projects in western Uganda: Tilenga (TotalEnergies, around 190,000 b/d) and Kingfisher (CNOOC, around 40,000 b/d).
The blended stream will flow to the Kabaale Shared Facilities in Hoima, from where it will travel via the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) to the port of Tanga in Tanzania. EACOP is 92.7% complete, and the export terminal at Tanga port is also in its final construction phase.
Market Entry and Asian Focus
First commercial shipments of Pearl Sweet are scheduled for early 2027, though according to Bloomberg, the first lifts will begin as early as December 2026. Within three years, shipments will reach peak levels of 230,000 barrels per day.
The primary target market is Asia. Ugandan officials are presenting Pearl Sweet to potential buyers at the S&P Global Energy conference in Singapore this week. Kieran Gallagher, head of Vitol Asia, stated: “Pearl Sweet is well suited for many Asian refineries, and we expect significant interest.”
Economic Expectations and Caution
Despite the scale of the project, Uganda’s government has set a conservative oil revenue forecast in its 2026/27 budget — just $380 million, significantly below earlier estimates.
Previously, UNOC and Uganda’s Petroleum Authority had projected annual oil revenues of between $1.5 billion and $2 billion at prices around $50 per barrel.
A Long Road to First Cargo
Uganda’s journey from oil discovery to export has spanned nearly two decades. The country discovered commercially viable reserves in the Lake Albert basin in 2006, but development was repeatedly delayed by disputes over pipeline routes and taxation.
Now, with infrastructure nearing completion and Vitol onboard as marketer, Uganda is poised to join the ranks of the world’s oil exporters.
Yet questions remain. Will Uganda maintain its schedule for first shipments in December? Will the conservative revenue forecast prove accurate, or are budget expectations too low? And will EACOP prove a reliable corridor, or will risks once again push back first exports?
The answers will emerge in the coming months, as the country completes its near‑twenty‑year journey from discovery to first tanker carrying Pearl Sweet.
