Kenya has opened high-level discussions with India to deepen cooperation in oil exploration, drilling, and broader energy investment, aiming to unlock undeveloped reserves in Turkana and advance the country’s upstream petroleum goals.
The talks, led by the State Department for Petroleum, included Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, Petroleum Principal Secretary Kello Harsama, and India’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Dr Adarsh Swaika, as they reviewed ways to broaden strategic energy ties.
The discussions moved beyond general cooperation, concentrating on practical areas where India could assist Kenya’s oil development agenda, including exploration technology, drilling know-how, and investment in upstream projects.
The two sides also examined opportunities in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), considering measures to strengthen supply chains and infrastructure that would improve household and industrial energy access in Kenya.
A central focus was the need to attract investment to commercialize Kenya’s oil reserves, especially in frontier basins such as Turkana.
“The meeting explored opportunities for deepening strategic partnerships in oil exploration and drilling. They also deliberated on LPG investment aimed at enhancing Kenya’s energy security and supporting sustainable economic growth,” the Department said.
India, which has been expanding its global energy investments and entering new exploration frontiers, expressed interest in increasing its presence in Kenya’s petroleum sector.
Kenya’s renewed diplomatic effort comes as the country steps up work to develop its oil potential in the South Lokichar Basin, long regarded as its most promising hydrocarbon block.
Earlier this year, Kenya moved closer to its first oil production timeline, marking a major milestone in its upstream development plans.
The rig is expected to support forthcoming drilling operations in Turkana, where recoverable reserves are estimated in the hundreds of millions of barrels, although actual production will depend on commercial viability and technical conditions.
The South Lokichar Basin has drawn intensive exploration since the first major discovery was made by Tullow Oil in 2012 at the Ngamia-1 well.
Treasury records show that the government expects to earn between Ksh135.3 billion (USD1.05 billion) and Ksh374.4 billion (USD2.9 billion) during exploration, though the figures depend on global oil prices.
The government is now relying on a mix of foreign partnerships, infrastructure investment, and technology transfer to accelerate first oil production.