KENYA TO START EXPORTING OIL IN JUNE 2017

President Uhuru Kenyatta shakes hands with Tullow Oil Chief Operating Officer Paul McDade during a briefing on the firm's exploration progress at State House in Nairobi on August 24, 2016. The firm said it will start oil production in June next year. PHOTO | PSCU 

Tullow Oil on Thursday confirmed that it will start exporting oil in June 2017 following President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive to expedite drilling.

Briefing Mr Kenyatta at State House in Nairobi, Tullow Oil Chief Operating Officer Paul McDade said his company has made good progress on the Early Oil Pilot Scheme and will be ready to start oil exportation in June 2017.

The oil will be transported by road from Lokichar in Turkana County to Mombasa, where it will be exported.

He said initially 2,000 barrels will be produced per day, adding that Tullow Oil is committed to aggressive exploration that will see at least eight more wells drilled in the South Lokichar basin to scale up production.

“Tullow remains confident that the South Lokichar basin has the potential to see resources grow from the current 750 million barrels to around one billion of oil,” he said.

Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter said the development of the Lokichar-to-Lamu crude oil pipeline is still on course.

Mr Keter said the government and its partners — Tullow Oil, African Oil and Maersk Companies — have concluded a joint agreement for developing the pipeline.

President Kenyatta emphasised the need to move with speed in the implementation of the pipeline project.

“We have started and we are not moving back. We want to be at the top of the pile. So we have set a path and Kenya is going to be a major oil producer and exporter,” President Kenyatta said.

The meeting was also attended by Energy Principal Secretary Andrew Kamau, Tullow Oil Vice-President East Africa Gary Thompson, Tullow Kenya Chairman Ike Duker and Country Manager Martin Mbogo.

SOURCE: NATION MEDIA GROUP