Kenya is fully prepared to receive and export crude oil from Turkana County, parliamentary energy lawmakers have been assured following an assessment of the country’s oil handling infrastructure.
Members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Energy held consultative meetings with the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) and Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited (KPRL) to evaluate readiness ahead of commercial extraction from the South Lokichar oil fields.
Officials from KPA confirmed that the Port of Mombasa has the capacity and systems required to handle crude oil exports safely. They noted that the Kipevu Oil Terminal has been equipped with modern safety mechanisms, trained personnel and emergency response protocols to manage risks such as oil spills or fire incidents.
The crude oil will be loaded onto export vessels at the Kipevu terminal after being transported from storage facilities at the Changamwe refinery. Heated pipelines will be used to maintain the oil’s flow during transfer, ensuring efficiency and safety throughout the process.
At the Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited facility, where oil transported by road from Turkana will be received, officials said existing storage tanks can adequately handle the volumes expected in the initial phase.
Plans are also underway to refurbish two additional tanks to enhance storage capacity, including installing insulation and heating systems suitable for crude oil preservation.
Lawmakers used the engagement to reiterate the importance of fair benefit-sharing, stressing that communities in both Turkana County and Changamwe must derive tangible gains from the oil project. They called for expanded corporate social responsibility initiatives and increased employment opportunities for local residents to foster community goodwill and reduce the risk of disputes.
The committee also toured the dormant Changamwe refinery, which has been inactive for several years. Officials revealed that prolonged inactivity has led to corrosion and degradation of equipment, making a full overhaul necessary before operations can resume.
According to refinery management, reviving the facility would require dismantling obsolete infrastructure and investing in a modern refinery equipped with advanced technology to efficiently process crude oil while minimising environmental impact
