Kenya is set to launch an oil and gas exploration round for 10 blocks in September, according to Opiyo Wandayi, the country’s Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary.
“This is a unique opportunity for investors to explore Kenya’s hydrocarbon potential through a fair and transparent process,” Wandayi said, as reported by local media outlet The Star.
The Kenyan government is actively working to develop its oil and gas industry. To attract investors, it is offering tax incentives and other benefits. Wandayi made these comments at the East African Petroleum Conference and Exhibition 2025 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
In addition to these incentives, the government is investing in infrastructure to support oil and gas exploration and development, the official added.
Kenya has oil and gas resources, but progress has been slow. This is partly due to the failure of UK-based Tullow Oil to secure investor partners for a major oil project that has faced delays for years.
Tullow Oil and its minority partners had long planned to develop the South Lokichar project. However, two years ago, French oil giant TotalEnergies and London-listed Africa Oil pulled out of the project, leaving Tullow Oil as the sole owner of the blocks. This move complicated Kenya’s hopes of developing its oil sector.
Plans for developing the oil fields in the South Lokichar Basin in northern Kenya are still in place. The project’s partners had hoped to secure financing for a pipeline to transport the crude from the landlocked northern region.
However, Tullow Oil has struggled to find investors willing to support the Lokichar Basin development and the commercialization of the crude, which has delayed Kenya’s goal of becoming a petroleum-exporting nation.
Earlier this month, the Kenyan government restructured its petroleum exploration blocks to align with international best practices and its legal frameworks. This restructuring allowed Kenya to identify 10 highly promising blocks, chosen based on detailed geological and scientific data.
Related Topics:
- Surprise Surge in Investment for Britain’s North Sea Oil and Gas Sector
- South Korea to Host Alaska’s Governor for Gas Pipeline Talks
- Eu Countries Push For Flexibility On 90% Gas Storage Requirement, Draft Reveals