Wednesday, 18 March, 2026
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๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฐ๐, ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ฒ.
Kenyaโs oil handling and export infrastructure is fully prepared to receive, store and export crude oil from Turkana, the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Energy has been told.
The committee held consultative meetings with officials from the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) and Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited (KPRL) as part of ongoing engagements on the extraction and exportation of oil from the South Lokichar fields in Turkana County.
During the consultations, the committee was informed that the existing infrastructure at the port is in good condition and already in use for handling imported products such as petrol, diesel, jet fuel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), making it suitable for crude oil operations.
KPA officials assured the committee that the port is ready to handle crude oil consignments, noting that adequate safety and emergency response measures are in place to address potential oil spills or fire incidents.
They added that the authority has invested in modern equipment and trained personnel to meet international crude oil handling standards.
Crude oil destined for export will be handled through the Kipevu Oil Terminal, where ships will dock for loading.
The oil will be transported from storage facilities at KPRL to the terminal through heated pipelines designed to maintain optimal flow conditions.
At the KPRL facility, where trucks ferrying crude oil from Turkana will be offloaded, officials said existing storage capacity is sufficient. They further disclosed plans to renovate two additional tanks to provide insulation and heating capabilities required for crude oil storage.
The legislators emphasized the need for a clear and equitable benefit-sharing framework to ensure host communities gain from the project.
They noted that Turkana County, where the oil will be extracted, and Changamwe, which hosts the storage facilities, must both benefit from the venture.
The lawmakers called for enhanced corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes and increased employment opportunities for local communities, saying this would foster acceptance of the project and help minimize resistance and potential legal challenges.
As part of their visit, the committee also toured the Changamwe refinery, which has remained dormant for several years. Officials said the facility has suffered corrosion and mechanical deterioration due to prolonged inactivity and lack of maintenance.
They noted that reviving the refinery would require decommissioning the outdated infrastructure and replacing it with a modern plant equipped with advanced technology capable of processing crude oil efficiently while minimizing waste.