Workers walk past storage tanks at Tullow Oil's Ngamia 8 drilling site in Lokichar, Turkana County, Kenya, February 8, 2018.
Construction of a crude oil pipeline from Turkana County to Lamu Port is expected to create 7,000 jobs for skilled oil and gas professionals as well as unskilled labourers.
The companies involved in the exploitation of oil at the Lokichar blocks are expected to form a company that will construct the pipeline and will hire an additional 280 people to operate the infrastructure once it is complete.
This is according to a report that Tullow Oil has lodged with the National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) seeking approval to go ahead with the project.
“The construction workforce will peak at approximately 7,000 jobs,” said the environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) report that details different aspects of the 824-kilometer pipeline.
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The study, which was done by Golder of UK and Kenya’s ESF Consultants, said the recruitment would make local content considerations.
“Recruitment and training of workers will be undertaken based on a number of plans which will be prepared as part of the contracting process to implement the requirements of the Local Content Bill, 2018. Specifically Local Content Development Plan and Employment and Skills Development Plan,” said the report.
“The overall approach will be to employ local workers who possess the qualifications and experience required for the performance of the relevant work. To facilitate this process, a job readiness and skills development process will be developed and implemented as part of the contracting process.”
Nema has called for public views on the report, with stakeholders expected to submit their take in the course of the next one month.
Tullow Oil, Total, Africa Oil and the Government of Kenya are expected to form a pipeline company that will oversee construction and operation of the infrastructure project, which has been estimated to cost Sh100 billion.
The company will earn revenues from the use of the pipeline.
In the interim, the four partners have formed the Pipeline Project Management Team (PPMT), which has commissioned the ESIA.
“In due course, the PPMT will be replaced by an incorporated pipeline company, which will then assume the rights and obligations of the PPMT,” said the report by Tullow.
