Uganda National Oil Company Limited (UNOC) is seeking investors to join its exploration efforts in the Kasuruban Contract Area as part of plans to unlock more oil and gas reserves in the country.
The state owned firm has called for expressions of interest (EOI) from companies with a proven track record in petroleum exploration and production.
In a notice issued by UNOC’s Chief Executive Officer, Proscovia Nabbanja, the company reported that it had signed a Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with the Government of Uganda covering the Kasuruban Contract Area and was awarded a petroleum exploration license on 27 February 2023.
“UNOC is keen to identify competent partners that can add technical expertise and financial strength to help realise the full potential of the Kasuruban Contract Area,” the statement read.
UNOC currently holds 100% participating interest in the contract.
Renewed license and next exploration phase
In addition, the company mentioned that the exploration license initially runs for two years and was recently renewed for an additional two year period from 3 March 2025 to 2 March 2027, in line with the country’s Upstream Act of 2013.
UNOC stated that it delivered an aggressive work programme during the first phase of exploration.
This included geological and geophysical studies, as well as petrophysical analysis and reservoir characterization.
The company also said conducted basin analysis and resource assessment to enhance the petroleum potential of the Kasuruban field
For the second exploration period, the company plans to reprocess existing 2D seismic data, acquire and process new 2D seismic data and drill at least one exploratory well.
These activities are expected to help better understand the area’s hydrocarbon prospects and attract more technical and financial partners.
In recent years, Uganda has intensified efforts to attract more private sector investment into its oil and gas sector, aiming to transform discovered reserves into production and boost national revenue.
The government hopes these developments will not only grow export earnings but also support local content and job creation in the energy industry.
Beyond this, UNOC’s move aligns with broader targets to position Uganda as an emerging oil and gas producer in East Africa and to ensure sustainable exploitation of its hydrocarbon resources in line with national laws and policies.
