LODWAR — Turkana County will now establish the full environmental and social impact of oil exploration in the South Lokichar Basin by former operator Tullow Oil and its affiliates, as it prepares for the production phase under new operator Gulf Energy.
A multi-sectoral team has been deployed to oil fields in Blocks T6 and T7 to collect samples for lab analysis, interview residents and conduct stakeholder engagements. Officials from the State Department for Petroleum and the consultancy firm leading the audit disclosed this during a meeting with Deputy Governor Dr John Erus in Lodwar.
Team lead Engineer Tito Kodiaga said the audit will focus on all exploration-related operations, including waste management, to document impacts on environment, livestock, infrastructure and communities.
Samples will be taken from water sources, soil, livestock, grazing fields, agricultural produce and waste materials. The team will also engage public and private sector players and independent professionals.
The audit comes over a decade after Tullow discovered commercially viable oil in South Lokichar in 2012, with millions of barrels estimated recoverable.
Tullow, with partners Africa Oil and TotalEnergies, later exited, paving way for Gulf Energy Ltd.Welcoming the audit, Dr Erus said it will provide critical data to shape response to long-standing concerns by host communities.
“This audit should not only be transparent but also independent and inclusive, with means of sharing findings with all stakeholders. The people of Turkana must know what happened during exploration and what to expect during production,” he said.
He noted residents of Lokichar, Kapese and Nakukulas have complained of dust pollution, disposal of drilling cuttings, decommissioning of wells and restricted grazing access without a comprehensive public assessment. Dr Erus urged the State Department to institutionalize continuous audits and verification of operators’ compliance with approved ESMPs as required by law.
The consultancy-led audit will run from 30th August to 3rd October, with an interim and final report outlining impacts and compliance measures for community safety.
County Directorates for Energy and Natural Resources and NEMA officials are expected to take part in consultations.
