Oil, gas production regulations in offing
UNBS executive director Ben Manyindo (L) and Energy Minister Irene Muloni arrive for the workshop in Kampala yesterday. Following is UNBS deputy executive director Patricia Ejalu. PHOTO BY STEPHEN OTAGE
Kampala.
The Ministry of Energy and the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) have put up a committee that will develop standards and regulations meant to govern the oil and gas production phase expected to start in 2018.
Speaking during the inauguration workshop of the technical committee on petroleum yesterday, Energy minister Irene Muloni said the committee will be tasked to among others develop standards that are acceptable globally.
Headed by Dr Bernard Kariko Buhwezi, a lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering Makerere University, the committee is expected to start operations immediately.
Environmental impact
She said the standards that will be developed by the committee of more than 30 people, will focus mainly around areas such as safety, security, health and environment in the oil and gas sector.
She said: “To ensure a safe and secure oil and gas sector that provides healthy occupations and protects the physical and work environment, those nominated in the committee must give their best to this standards formulation process.”
“With the production phase coming up next, standards are critical,” Ms Muloni said in a separate interview.
Talking to the Daily Monitor, the executive director UNBS, Mr Ben Manyindo, said the standards that will be formulated by the technical committee will not be static as it will be reviewed as the sector dynamics also change.
He said: “There will be no term limit for the committee as formulation of standard is continuous. We will be expecting them to review the standards after every three to five years so as to keep pace with emerging demands.”
“So much will happen during the production phase. So the standards will ensure that the trucks used to move the resource are not spilling anything, the storage for such products are according to the recommended standards and that the environment is well insulated from the danger that comes with production of oil and gas,” he added.
