Geotechnical investigations for an East African pipeline route for TOTAL

GeoGroup’s geotechnical investigations for a Central Processing Facility (CPF) in Bullisa, Western Uganda and a pipeline to transport crude oil from the CPF to the 1 443km pipeline to Tanga on the coast of Tanzania successfully put its skills to the test.

This was a multi-phased project divided into a series of work packages. The nearshore investigations entailed drilling and testing in riverbeds, lake floors and on land. Six rotary core holes and 5 CPTu tests were conducted in the Nile River and another 12 holes and 10 CPTu tests in Lake Albert.

Land based drilling included 49 rotary core holes and 135 CPTu tests. The pipeline investigations from the CPF to the coast of Tanzania required 21 rotary core holes, 41 CPTu tests and 94 trial pits in Uganda and 37 rotary core holes, 70 CPTu tests and 165 test pits in Tanzania.

The logistics required to successfully complete this project were substantial: more than 400 people needed to be housed in 19 different locations over a period of seven months. At any one time there were three full camps in operation, one for the advance team, one for the acquisition team and another being set up for the advance team to move into. The advance camp moved to a new location every 10-14 days.

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