Port of Mombasa receives US$15M oil rig for Kenya’s Turkana project

KENYA – The Port of Mombasa has received a US$15 million oil rig for Kenya’s Turkana project, part of a 2,152-metric-ton consignment of onshore drilling equipment for oil production in Lokichar, according to the Kenya Ports Authority.

The consignment arrived aboard the MV Transit Sedanka on Saturday after departing from Abu Dhabi via Duqm.

Among the equipment discharged was the GW70 Integrated Onshore Drilling Rig, a 1,500-horsepower unit valued at more than KSh 2 billion (about US$15 million).

Oil reserves and project scale

The Lokichar basin contains an estimated 326 million barrels of recoverable oil. The project aims to be fully operational by December 2026.

Moreover, investments totaling about US$6.1 billion are expected to span 25 years, making it one of Kenya’s largest energy undertakings.

Logistics significance

The delivery demonstrates the Port of Mombasa’s capacity to handle oversized and complex project cargo. Once discharged and cleared, the equipment will be transported to Turkana County as part of the logistics chain supporting Kenya’s petroleum infrastructure development.

The route from Mombasa to Lokichar spans more than 1,000 kilometers and requires coordination among road transport, cargo escort, and heavy-lift operations.

The Port of Mombasa handles about 2.1 million TEUs annually and serves as a gateway for goods moving to and from Kenya and several landlocked countries in East and Central Africa, including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan.

Economic significance

The Turkana oil project marks Kenya’s most advanced effort to commercialize its petroleum reserves.

Successful production would reduce the country’s dependence on imported refined fuels, lower the import bill, and generate export revenue.

Kenya currently imports all its petroleum products, and the fuel import bill totaled US$4.5 billion in 2024, according to the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

The project is also expected to create jobs in drilling, logistics, construction, and support services in Turkana County, one of Kenya’s least developed regions.

Moreover, the US$6.1 billion investment over 25 years would constitute a substantial injection into the national economy.

Finally, this delivery underscores the port’s role as a gateway for energy and infrastructure investment in East Africa, with the Kenya Ports Authority continuing to focus on project cargo handling for strategic national developments.

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