Plans for new Pipeline underway

Last Updated 14 years ago by Kenya Engineer

Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) has announced plans to build a new pipeline from Mombasa to Nairobi. The pipeline, included in the 2012/2013 budget estimates is set to start construction in the second half of this year.

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The pipeline is estimated to cost a total of Sh17.3 billion.KPC will raise Sh8.4 billion from a consortium of lenders while the rest Sh8.9 billion will be from its retained earnings and surplus.

The pipeline to run on the latest technology will have a 40 per cent increased capacity than the current one. It will have a diameter of between 16-20 inches from the current 14 inches and a life span estimated at 33 years. This will help the country secure a long term fuel supply.

The current pipeline was first laid down by Zakhem, an engineering firm-in the year 1978.It has contributed to persistent fuel shortages in Nairobi and Western Kenya as well as the degradation of infrastructure as oil dealers turn to the road to transport the fuel.

KPC also announced plans to build a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) storage plants next year as part of a strategy to meet the commodity’s growing demand in the region. The plant facilities according to a study carried out by the Ministry of Energy together with the World Bank in 2005,are to be set up in Nairobi,Mombasa,Kisumu,Eldoret,Nakuru and Sagana.They are to have a capacity of 8,700 tonnes.
The government intends to have them commissioned by the end of 2014 before moving on to other strategic locations in the country.

The cost of the bulk LPG import handling, storage facilities in Mombasa was estimated at $28.6 million while that of establishing the inland facilities was put at $43.3 million.

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