Field development plan for Lokichar on course, assures Government Nairobi, March 28, 2023

The government has assured Kenyans that preparation of the field development plan (FDP) for the Lokichar oil field in Turkana County is on course.

According to the Principal Secretary in the State Department for Petroleum Mr. Mohamed Liban, the exercise is being spearheaded by Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra). Petroleum technical officers from the State Department and Epra are being assisted by government legal personnel to ensure a flawless document.

Mr. Liban was responding to questions from members of the National Assembly's Committee on Energy during a presentation on the mandate of the State Department at Mombasa. He said delay in finalisation of the document was occasioned by the outbreak of Covid-19 and the general elections in Kenya last year.

The Energy Committee, chaired Mr. Vincent Musyoka, had expressed concern that a delay in finalising the document was impacting on the final investment decision (FID) for the oil project thereby delaying Kenya's first oil shipment to the international market.

But the PS assured the Committee that the document will soon be ready for subjection to stakeholder scrutiny, starting with Parliament, adding that by 2027, Kenya will be ready to export its first oil.

The Committee members also sought clarification on distribution of the mwananchi gas cylinders. Mr. Liban said while the State Department for Petroleum provided policy direction and held the finances, the actual distribution of the cylinders was undertaken by the National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK).

To ensure smooth operation, Committee members advised that NOCK should handle the finances as well.

By Njoroge Mwaura