Oil drilling in Turkana set to start

The government is preparing for a start of the drilling for oil in Turkana County even before the completion of the Sh404 billion Kenya-Uganda crude oil pipeline.

A top-level government document shows that construction of the road from Turkana to Eldoret has begun.

It means the crude oil will be transported in trucks to Eldoret and loaded onto trains for export.

The document, prepared by the head of the President’s Delivery Unit, Mr Nzioka Waita, says transporting the oil through an arrangement that Kenya has with Uganda is one option.

“There are 600 million barrels of oil waiting to be exploited. We are looking at all options in moving this oil. It could be through our engagement with the Government of Uganda or on our own even as we look to building the pipeline from Hoima, Lokichar through to Lamu,” he says in the document seen by the Nation.

Given that the price of crude oil on the international market is $32.65 (Sh3,319) per barrel, it means Kenya has oil that is valued at Sh1,991.4 trillion.

Monday, Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter confirmed that plans were at an advanced stage to start drilling.

A BILLION BARRELS

UK’s Tullow Oil Plc with its partner, Arica Oil Corporation, discovered the oil.

It is estimated that as exploration continues, the number of barrels could rise to a billion.

“The 3D seismic was used to locate the Etom-2 well, which has the best quality oil,” Tullow says in its update.

The UK firm goes on to say that more exploration plans will be considered by mid this year.

In 2015, Tullow drilled nine wells in South Lokichar Basin and conducted five extended tests at Ngamia and Amosing fields. 

Other oil fields are Epir-1 in North Kerio, Engomo-1 in North Turkana and Emeseki-1 in North Lokichar.

Tullow said drilling at Cheptuket-1 well in Block 12A should be completed by February.

Mr Waita said the road from Lokichar to Lodwar and onto Kapenguria would be widened.