Agency invites bids for Eldoret-Kisumu oil pipeline

By Macharia Kamau

The Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) is set to start the construction of a new pipeline between Eldoret and Kisumu.

The company has started on a process to recruit a consultant to design and construct a 112km pipeline running from Sinendet (in the outskirts of Eldoret town) to Kisumu.

Once in place, it is expected to ease the movement of petroleum products between the two towns.  The route is largely being serviced by trucks that have owing to growth in demands outstripped the capacity of the line between Eldoret and Kisumu. “KPC intends to construct a 112 KM ten inch multi-product oil pipeline from Sinendet to Kisumu to meet increased petroleum products demand,” said the company in a statement yesterday.

 It also invited companies to submit their bids for the design and construction of the pipeline. The contractor will also lay a fibre optic cable along the entire pipeline length.

 The Sinendet-Eldoret line is among the major infrastructural projects that KPC has in the pipeline. KPC is seeking to overhaul the entire pipeline infrastructure, with plans in place to replace the Mombasa-Nairobi line as well as renovate the Nairobi Eldoret pipeline. It also plans to construct Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) storage and bottling facility along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway.

In a separate statement yesterday, the firm said it planned to purchase a 100 acre piece of land in Kajiado County where it will construct the LPG facility. The land should be close to the railway line and about 50 KM from Nairobi city.

The country has in the past experienced severe LPG stock outs largely blamed on lack of storage facilities in Kenya. Sustained high prices of cooking gas are also blamed on inadequate storage space. KPC also expects to start the construction of a new line running between Mombasa and Nairobi to replace ageing line. The company recently procured the services of Chinese firm Shengli Engineering for the construction of the pipeline that is set for completion 2016 and expected to cost up to Sh43 billion.

 There are plans to extend the pipeline from Eldoret to Kampala and Kigali. KPC also plans to construct a new Jet A-1 Depot to service the expanded JKIA with the Greenfield terminal expected to push up demand for jet fuel.