Lake Albert, located on the western border of Uganda, is surrounded by mountains.About a kilometer from the docking point, a striking blue and white drilling rig stands tall. Despite the ongoing drilling operations,no disturbing noises can be sensed.This is the location of the Kingfisher oilfield project, invested and constructed by the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC). The Kingfisher oil field is a key component of the Lake Albert oil field development project. Covering an area of 1,518 square kilometers, the Lake Albert oilfield has certified geological reserves exceeding 6 billion barrels. To meet drilling depth requirements and minimize disturbance to the local residents and wildlife, CNOOC has tailored an 8,000-meter silent automated high-end oil rig for Uganda, reducing the noise level from the conventional 70 decibels to below 45 decibels. Additionally, to ensure that future oil extraction does not pollute the lake, the oil rig is equipped with the Xuanzhi rotary steerable system, developed independently by China, allowing the drill pipe to extend from land into the lakebed, extracting oil on a bias.
