Kenya’s First Crude Oil Shipment Expected June

Kenya’s Petroleum Cabinet Secretary John Munyes has revealed that the country will make its first shipment of crude oil next month. 

To date 87,000 barrels of oil have been transported from Lokichar in Turkana to Mombasa for storage. Once 200,000 barrels have been transported the first shipment outside of the country is expected. Progress to date has been impeded because operator Tullow Oil was limited to the transportation of just 600 barrels daily, prompting the firm to appeal to the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) for an increased limit of 2,000 barrels daily. Approval was granted last week, making an earlier shipment date possible. 

According to Munyes, "By June this year, we hope the oil that we have been trucking from Lokichar to Mombasa will hit the 200,000 barrels. We'll have the 200,000 barrels getting into vessel, ready for shipment."