(Ecofin Agency) - Kenya is to commence the construction of an 865-kilometer crude oil pipeline that will connect fields in its northern region to a new port currently being constructed along the Indian Ocean coastline within two years.

According to the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum’s Principal Secretary, Andrew Kamau, the government is currently assessing bids for the pipeline’s design and will award a front-end engineering design contract in October 2016.

“Once we have the pipeline design, the engineering, procurement and construction contract would be awarded in first quarter 2018. It would take us that long as we need an environmental impact assessment study conducted to international standards for the project to be able to attract international funding,” Kamau said.

Charles Keter, the Ministry of Energy’s Secretary has said that the East African country expects its first oil in June 2017 and plans to transport 2,000 bpd at the beginning. Prior to the completion of the pipeline, Kenya plans to transport its crude by road up to the western town of Eldoret and then to the coast on Rift Valley Railway’s line, Bloomberg reports.

Anita Fatunji