Kenya Pipeline Introduces new security measures to safeguards its pipelines

Kenya Pipeline Company plans to introduce an advanced leakage detection system in its old oil pipeline so as to lower product loss.

The announcement was made yesterday as the firm initiated an environmental assessment study to establish the extent of damage along the Nakuru-Kisumu oil pipeline (line 6), which had a leak in Koru, Muhoroni, last week.

Remedial action

The leak came after attempted siphoning of fuel by a rogue oil marketer. “The study follows the completion of repairs on the line on Saturday evening, with KPC’s safety and environment team having already taken over the site for remedial action,” said KPC Managing Director Joe Sang in a statement.

The move followed the discovery of infiltration on its Nakuru-Kisumu line (line 6) by a rogue oil marketer who had punctured a diesel ferrying line and was operating an illegal loading ramp at Koru in Muhoroni constituency on Friday.

KPC Operations and Maintenance Manager Peter Mbugua, meanwhile said during a visit to the scene of crime on Tuesday that plans were underway to strengthen leak detection in the pre-existing and the newly commissioned lines to up to one per cent of the products.

High velocity

“What we currently have is not able to detect up to 10 per cent product loss, but we have discussed this and we are considering having more advanced detection systems which we have incorporated in the new Mombasa-Nairobi line introduced in the old lines,” he said.

Loss due to the Muhoroni infiltration, he said, was negligible and thus could not be detected using the existing system.