"The drill kits have been put up and the drilling has started," Uganda National Oil Co CEO Proscovia Nabbanja told Reuters on the sidelines of an Energy Asia conference.

"We are on track for first oil in H1 2025."

The Tilenga project, in the Buliisa and Nwoya districts in Uganda's Lake Albert oilfields, is operated by French energy major TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA) in partnership with China's CNOOC Ltd (0883.HK) and UNOC.

Oil from the Tilenga project will be transported via the $3.5 billion East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) to the port of Tanga in Tanzania for export.

The EACOP has the capacity to send up to 246,000 barrels of crude per day out to world markets by as early as 2025.

TotalEnergies is the largest shareholder in EACOP with a 62% stake. Other investors include the state-run UNOC and Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation, which have 15% each, while China's CNOOC holds 8%.

This week, five activist groups have sued TotalEnergies for a second time over the Tilenga and EACOP projects, accusing the energy company of failing to protect people and the environment.