Four Ugandan farmers have launched a legal challenge in the UK High Court aimed at preventing the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) from becoming operational.
The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, seeks to block the project before it begins exporting crude, marking the latest escalation in a years-long dispute over land rights and environmental impact surrounding the infrastructure.
The legal move comes as the project, a joint venture between TotalEnergies and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), approaches its initial production phase.
While the plaintiffs argue that the pipeline violates their rights and poses irreversible environmental damage, the immediate market reaction has been muted.
Brent crude prices held steady in early trading, suggesting that investors view the legal threat as a manageable risk rather than an existential one for the project's timeline.
This development follows a pattern of protracted legal battles that have already delayed the project.