Lamu Port-South Sudan (LAPSSET) Pipeline

This article is part of the Global Fossil Infrastructure Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor and the Center for Media and Democracy.

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Lamu Port-South Sudan (LAPSSET) Pipeline, also called the Lokichar to Lamu Crude Oil Pipeline (LLCOP), is a proposed oil pipeline in South Sudan and Kenya.

Location

The pipeline would run from South Sudan oil fields to Lokichar, Kenya, where it would connect to the Kenya Crude Oil Pipeline, which ends at Kenya's Lamu Port for export.

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Project Details

• Owner: Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC)
• Proposed capacity: 160,000 barrels per day
• Length:
• Status: Proposed
• Start Year:

Background

As of 2016 Kenya is pursuing plans to link its Kenya Crude Oil Pipeline, planned for commissioning in 2021, with a new pipeline to South Sudan's oil fields, for increased oil export through Kenya's Lamu Port. The LAPSSET Corridor Program includes Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. The project consists of major highway, crude and product oil pipelines which aim to further integrate the region. Regarding South Sudan, the crude oil pipeline will connect Lamu to Isiolo to Juba.

The project itself has run into multiple difficulties regarding its partners. Uganda left the project in favor of linking its gas infrastructure with Tanzania. Similarly, Ethiopia's commitment looks precarious due to its recent partnership with Djibouti to build the Horn of Africa Pipeline. South Sudan's support remains inconclusive due not only to its internal conflict but also very low oil prices. However, Kenya seeks to continue with the massive project.

As of 2017, Total has attempted to persuade Kenya to join the Uganda and Tanzania oil project rather than continue with the LAPSSET corridor. However, Kenya Civil Society Platform on Oil and Gas's coordinator Charles Wanguhu stated that Kenya remains committed to its partnership with South Sudan.

In August of 2019, preparations to build the pipeline were underway. The project is expected to hire more than 600 local youth. The 820km pipeline is a key element of the Sh2.5 trillion Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) project being undertaken at Kililana in Lamu West. The pipeline, which will cut through Turkana, Samburu, Isiolo, Meru, Garissa and Lamu counties, will transport stabilised crude oil from the South Lokichar Basin to the Port of Lamu. Groundworks for the pipeline will begin before the end of next year but the pipeline itself is already being built. Also in August of 2019, experts were working on the pipeline's Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and meeting with stakeholders, including the county leadership and local communities.