Oil and Gas Exploration drilling, Male 1 drill Site

Oil and Gas Exploration drilling, Male 1 drill Site

Name of development company or institution
Tullow Uganda Operations PTY Limited
Name of environmental and social standards applied to the project
EIA
location country
Uganda

As part of an extensive exploration programme across the most prospective onshore and offshore areas of the Northern Lake Albert Basin, Tullow, is to conduct oil and gas exploration drilling activities at the Male-1 well site, in the Bugungu Wildlife Reserve Buliisa District.

The proposed Male-1 Oil and Gas exploration drilling well site is located at coordinates 344653.47 East and 216221.67 North (UTM Zone 36 WGS 1984). The drilling rig pad is situated in the park, and can be accessed from the Buliisa – Biiso Road, branching off at Waiga bridge.

Major infrastructure at the Male-1 well site will consist of a rig pad and drilling operations-related infrastructure, including drilling fluid system (preparation and recovery equipment), power generators, fuel storage tanks, drilling machinery storage yard, water storage tanks, waste disposal pits for drilling muds and cements, waste water treatment pits, storm water drainage provisions, office space and a parking yard.

The Male-1 site is in an area designated as a Wilderness Zone characterised by low large mammal populations. Birds encountered included the White-winged Warbler (Bradypterus carpalis), Senegal Coucal (Centropus senegalensis), and Singing Cisticola (Cisticola cantans).
A total of 141 species from 41 families were recorded from the project area. The Grass Family (Poaceae) was the most dominant constituting 20.6% of the total species recorded, followed by the Legume Family (Fabaceae) with 14.9% of the total species. There were several families with one species recorded including Aloaceae, the Torchwood Family (Balanitaceae) and Anthericaceae. The most dominant life forms were shrubs (27.7%) followed by trees (23.4%), herbs and grasses with 20.6% each, of the total species recorded respectively.

The access road to Male-1traverses relatively low lying and gently sloping land. The surrounding area is occupied by grasses and woodland. Drainage provisions will be required where the road traverses areas that impede natural drainage and at crossing points of numerous seasonal streams. The site is about 13 km East off Buliisa – Biiso road from Waiga bridge.