By Nicholas Bariyo

KAMPALA Uganda--French oil giant Total SA is advancing its Tilenga oil fields in Uganda weeks after reaching a deal for the project's export pipeline, said Jean-Yves Poulet, head of Total's Ugandan unit.

Site preparation activities for the 190,000 barrels-a-day project have started, in preparation for the main construction activities, Mr. Poulet said. Oil production from the project, which involves six oil fields, is expected to start in 2025 and it will be pumped through a 900-mile pipeline to the Tanzanian port of Tanga.

Mota-Engil Uganda, a unit of Portugal-based construction group Mota-Engil, internal roads at the site that will host the Tilenga Central Processing Facility, yards and camps. Total says some $10 billion is required to develop the oil fields and pipeline.

Total holds a majority stake in the project, which is being jointly developed with CNOOC Ltd.

Write to Nicholas Bariyo at Nicholas.Bariyo@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

05-20-21 0542ET