New pipeline pumps up Kisumu oil supply
What you need to know:
New pipeline would end regular shortage of the product in Kisumu due to limitations of the old six inch diameter line laid in 1992.
Kisumu alone receives 60 per cent of the country’s petroleum products.
Constant shortage had forced some dealers to source it from as far as Eldoret and Nakuru depots.
The oil transport and management agency has completed the 122-kilometre Nakuru-Kisumu pipeline that will increase supply of the product to western Kenya and the entire East African region.
The line, which was handed over to Kenya Pipeline Company on Friday by the contractor, now supplies 39 million litres to Kisumu depot, daily up from 12 million.
Mr Jason Nyantino, communications manager at the company said the new pipeline would end regular shortage of the product in Kisumu due to limitations of the old six inch diameter line laid in 1992.
“The new line is a 10-inch pipeline running from Sinendet in Nakuru County to Kisumu. It is operating simultaneously with the existing parallel one to push huge volumes of product to the region,” he said at the site during the handing over.
Kisumu alone receives 60 per cent of the country’s petroleum products supplied to not only the western region but also to East African countries including parts of Tanzania, Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Sudan.
However, constant shortage had forced some dealers to source it from as far as Eldoret and Nakuru depots.
The new pipe will now reduce congestion of trucks and save the roads from constant wear and tear.
Mr Nyantino said since the product will be closer to its market, there was a possibility that cost of fuel would slightly come down.
“As much as it is not within our mandate to regulate oil prices, the new project may bring down cost of fuel in the region because one of the factors that Energy Regulatory Commission uses to determine pricing is cost of transport which will now be lower,” he said.
