Kenya enters the oil business
The East African country exports its first consignment of oil while Tullow prepares for 2020 FID
Tullow signed heads of terms with Kenya’s government in June, having agreed the key commercial principles for the development of discoveries in blocks 10BB and 13T in the South Lokichar Basin, near Lake Turkana. “We are looking to sanction the project in the second half of 2020,” says Mark MacFarlane, Tullow’s executive vice president for East Africa. “The contentious issues, if there were any contentious issues, have been agreed.” Kenya’s Turkana oil reserves, discovered in 2012, are estimated at 560mn bl. Tullow owns a 50pc stake in the project, while its partners, Canada’s Africa Oil Corp and Total, each hold 25pc. Combined, they have invested $2bn. Turkana is in Kenya’s remote, undeve
Also in this section
2 April 2026
Alongside a rapid continued build-out of renewables, China’s latest five-year plan stresses the value of domestic hydrocarbon production for energy security and calls for increased Russian gas imports
2 April 2026
The government is taking important steps to revive domestic production, lift investment and benefit from the geopolitical crisis even if more needs to be done in the longer term
1 April 2026
Golden Pass’s startup offers QatarEnergy a timely boost but may also force a difficult choice between honouring disrupted contracts and capitalising on soaring spot LNG prices
1 April 2026
It is not a case of if or when, but the length and magnitude of economic damage from elevated oil prices






