Kenya has begun major high-level talks with India on deepening cooperation in oil exploration, drilling, and wider energy investment in a move aimed at unlocking untapped oil reserves in Turkana and accelerating the country’s upstream petroleum ambitions.
The engagement, led by the State Department for Petroleum, brought together Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, Petroleum Principal Secretary Kello Harsama, and India’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Dr Adarsh Swaika, for discussions on expanding strategic energy partnerships.
Rather than focusing only on general cooperation, the talks focused on practical areas where India could support Kenya’s oil development agenda, including exploration technology, drilling expertise, and investment in upstream projects.
Stretnews.co.ke has learned that the two sides also explored opportunities in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), with both sides considering ways to strengthen supply chains and infrastructure to improve household and industrial energy access in Kenya.
A key emphasis of the discussions was the need to attract long-term capital and technical know-how to support Kenya’s efforts to commercialise its oil reserves, particularly 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 confirmed. India, which has been expanding its global energy investments and pushing into new exploration frontiers, indicated interest in strengthening its footprint in Kenya’s petroleum sector.
Kenya’s renewed diplomatic push comes as the country intensifies efforts to develop its oil potential in the South Lokichar Basin, which has long been identified as its most promising hydrocarbon block.
Earlier this year, Kenya moved closer to its first oil production timeline after acquiring a Ksh1.9 billion onshore drilling rig from the United Arab Emirates, marking a key milestone in its upstream development plans.
The rig is expected to support upcoming drilling operations in Turkana, where recoverable reserves are estimated at hundreds of millions of barrels, although actual output will depend on commercial viability and technical conditions.
The South Lokichar Basin region has been the focus of intense exploration since the first major discovery was made by Tullow Oil in 2012 at the Ngamia-1 well.
According to records from the Treasury, the government intends to earn between Ksh135.3 billion (USD1.05 billion) and Ksh374.4 billion (USD2.9 billion) during the exploration, figures that are, however, subject to global oil prices.
The government is now banking on a combination of foreign partnerships, infrastructure investment, and technology transfer to fast-track first oil production.
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