The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) of Kenya has announced that the development of the 852km Lokichar-Lamu pipeline – linking the processing facilities at the Lokichar oilfields in Turkana County to the Lamu port – has reached its next stages with the submission of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) report to the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
According to an Energy and Petroleum Statistic Report published by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority, “The Front Energy Engineering Design is already complete, and the ESIA report submitted to NEMA for approval,” marking a critical step towards the country’s ambitions of becoming a net exporter of crude oil.
The pipeline will be operated by Tullow Kenya and is expected to transport up to 120,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil to Lamu Port, enabling the country to export to regional and international markets. Currently, Tullow is seeking strategic partners to fund the pipeline’s development.
Building on the momentum of the Lokichar-Lamu project, the government is looking at ramping up exploration and production in a bid to position Kenya as a competitive oil and gas producer. Oil reserves in the Lokichar sub-basin are estimated at four billion barrels, with output projected to reach approximately 100,000 bpd by 2024, while 13 hydrocarbon discoveries made in the wider Tertiary Rift Basin alongside gas discoveries across several offshore basins and priority has been placed on unlocked private sector participation and investment.
To this effect, the government is working on the introduction of an Integrated Field Development Plan, which would essentially serve as a blueprint for field development. Under this plan, development of 10 hydrocarbon fields within the South Lokichar Basin will be undertaken in two phases, with the first targeting 120,000 bpd via the development of mature resources, and the second, the development of the remaining six fields.
