Oil spill preparedness and response

(Photocredit: News 12 Viewer, Julia Martin)

As Kenya embarks on its dream of joining the oil producing league of countries, one of the things I believe it should put into consideration is oil spill preparedness and response. I believe in as much as we await the economic benefits that come with oil production, we should equally be prepared to deal with oil spills or have measures to mitigate their impact.

Factors that are considered in the construction of a crude oil pipeline.

Photocredit:pipeline construction

There are many factors that are put to consideration when considering to put up a pipeline.

These include:

1.      Route (distance, pipeline length)

2.      Topography (hills, valleys, inclines, plains)

3.      Temperature ( warm or cold temperature regions,  seasonal variations in temperature and climate)

4.      Expansion

5.      Environmental impact (environment setting, urban or countryside, offshore or onshore, conservation reserves  or protected ecosystems)

Kenya in Proposal stage for new crude oil pipeline

Source: Oil news Kenya

Kenya’s active search for contractors to be charged with the responsibility of designing its newly proposed crude oil pipeline has begun. The pipeline is intended to run from Lokichar (Turkana) to the coastal town of Lamu.  The project has arisen after Kenya’s defeat to win over Uganda in the deal that was intended to construct a pipeline through Kenya. The deal was won by Tanzania instead of Kenya due to Uganda’s security concerns on the Northern route which was to pass through Kenya and terminate at Lamu.