By URN
TotalEnergies EP Uganda and SLB have today handed over specialized education software and computer hardware to Makerere, Kyambogo and Nkumba Universities in a bid to boost their oil and gas training curriculum.
As part of this support, TotalEnergies EP Uganda has provided to each institution eight computer hardware stations comprising eight tower servers, sixteen monitors and peripherals.
The support by TotalEnergies is valued at over seven hundred and seventy million shillings (USD 200,000) SLB formerly Schlumberger Limited (SLB) is a global technology company providing services and products to the oil and gas industry, including in Uganda. It provided four (4) specialized training software licenses (Petrel, Techlog, Eclipse & Petromod) installed and configured on each computer hardware station. It also pledged to conduct training sessions for the respective university users in July 2025 to ensure effective utilization of the tools and will continue to renew the licenses annually.
The support is aimed at enhancing the capacity of the universities to train and produce candidates with the relevant technical skills that are needed for the oil and gas sector in Uganda.
A statement from TotalEnergies EP Uganda said the support aligns with the Companies’ commitment to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 regarding quality education as well as their national commitments to skilling, capacity building and support to Ugandan educational institutions. Speaking at the handover ceremony, Philippe GROUEIX, General Manager of TotalEnergies EP Uganda, said,
“Over the years, we have placed great emphasis on supporting education institutions in Uganda such as UPIK, Makerere and Kyambogo Universities to develop the capacities required to train more Ugandans in oil and gas disciplines, and today’s handover is aimed at augmenting this support in line with our commitments to national content development and youth inclusion and education. Currently, over 1,500 Ugandans have been trained in various transferable technical skills with international certifications that enhance their employability in Uganda and abroad”
Valerian PFRIMMER, Managing Director for East and South Africa at SLB, affirmed the company’s commitment to supporting national content development in Uganda.
“By donating four of our industry-leading software platforms: Petrel™, Techlog, Eclipse™, and Petromod, we are bridging the gap between classroom theory and field application. These platforms cover the full spectrum of exploration and production and are essential to real-world operations. They not only enhance petroleum geoscience and engineering education but also serve as strategic enablers for national development.
The equipment was handed over to the respective institution heads: Prof Juma Kasozi, representing the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Dr John Okuonzi representing the Vice Chancellor of Kyambogo University and Prof. Jude T. Lubega the Vice Chancellor of Nkumba University who all expressed gratitude to the Companies for the support.
The ceremony was witnessed by the Executive Director of the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, represented by Betty Namubiru, the Manager of National Content at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, Joint Venture Partners: CNOOC and Uganda National Oil Company as well as EACOP Ltd.
This action complements other ongoing initiatives implemented as part of TotalEnergies EP Uganda’s broader commitment to specialized education and capacity building/training programmes such as: The Tilenga Academy, the Tilenga Train the Trainer program, the Makerere University Emergency Medicine Simulation Training Centre (established in 2023), internship and graduate trainee opportunities; support to the refurbishment of the Makerere Ivory Tower auditorium; Scholarship programs, among others.
