The drilling rig for the South Lokichar oil development has arrived in Mombasa ahead of its transfer to Turkana.
The rig will be moved to Turkana for commissioning as Gulf Energy prepares to begin drilling on November 1 and targets first oil in December 2026.
Kenya has moved closer to commercial oil production after an onshore rig arrived at the Port of Mombasa.
Gulf Energy E&P BV SEZ received the equipment ahead of Kenya’s December 2026 first-oil target.
The rig arrived at Kilindini Port on Friday aboard MV Transit Sedanka from Duqm Port in Oman.
It will travel by road to South Lokichar in Turkana County.
Gulf Energy plans to drill the first well from November 1, 2026.
Rig Heads to Turkana
Gulf Energy CEO Paul Limoh said the Kenya Ports Authority was offloading the rig in Mombasa.
The company will then transport the equipment to Turkana for commissioning.
Limoh said the project remains on schedule despite the tight timeline.
The GW70 rig has a 1,500-horsepower capacity.
Gulf Energy secured the rig through a long-term lease with Great Wall Drilling Company.
The company values the equipment at more than $20 million.
Before drilling begins, engineers will complete commissioning and acceptance checks.
Production to Start in Two Phases
Gulf Energy expects the first development phase to produce 20,000 barrels of crude daily.
A second phase aims to increase production to 50,000 barrels per day.
Meanwhile, Baker Hughes will provide integrated well services for the project.
SLB will supply the Early Production Facility.
The contracts form part of an investment programme estimated at about $6 billion.
The development follows years of delays since Kenya discovered oil in the South Lokichar Basin.
First Exports Expected in 2027
Kenya expects to start commercial crude production in December 2026.
However, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority expects the first exports from Mombasa in early 2027.
The export schedule aligns with the approved Field Development Plan.
Project projections indicate that Kenya could earn more than $2.9 billion over the project’s lifetime.
That figure depends on future crude prices and the volumes ultimately produced.
The development could also create activity across drilling, transport and oilfield services.
For now, the focus remains on moving the rig to Turkana and completing preparations.
The next major milestone will be the planned November drilling campaign as Kenya moves towards first oil.
