Kenya’s demand for petroleum products is rapidly growing, with an annual increase of approximately 16%. This rising demand puts pressure on the petroleum supply chain, necessitating the expansion and efficient management of petroleum storage facilities across the country. The Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) plays a crucial role in ensuring a steady supply of petroleum products by maintaining strategically located depots to meet both domestic consumption and regional export needs.
This article provides a comprehensive list of petroleum depots in Kenya, highlighting their capacities and importance in the country’s petroleum distribution network.
Key Petroleum Depots in Kenya
Kenya’s petroleum storage infrastructure consists of seven major depots. These depots, located in key regions, collectively have a storage capacity of 612,233,000 liters. Their strategic positioning facilitates the distribution of petroleum products across the country and into neighboring nations such as Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Here is a detailed list of all the petroleum depots in Kenya, their locations, and their respective capacities:
1. Nairobi Terminal
- Capacity: 100,580 cubic meters
- Location: Nairobi
- Details: The Nairobi Terminal is one of the primary depots serving the capital city and its surroundings. Due to Nairobi’s significant demand for fuel, the terminal plays a critical role in ensuring an uninterrupted fuel supply in Kenya’s busiest economic hub.
2. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Depot
- Capacity: 54,141 cubic meters
- Location: Nairobi
- Details: Located within Kenya’s busiest airport, the JKIA depot ensures an uninterrupted supply of aviation fuel for both domestic and international flights. The facility is vital for maintaining aviation operations in East Africa’s largest airport.
3. Moi Airport Mombasa Depot
- Capacity: 7,349 cubic meters
- Location: Mombasa
- Details: The Moi Airport depot in Mombasa is smaller than JKIA but is essential for supplying aviation fuel to the coastal region’s main airport. This depot helps facilitate tourism and cargo flights in the region.
4. Kipevu Oil Storage Facility (KOSF)
- Capacity: 326,233 cubic meters
- Location: Mombasa
- Details: The Kipevu Oil Storage Facility is the largest petroleum storage depot in Kenya. Located at the coastal city of Mombasa, it plays a pivotal role in receiving imported petroleum products. KOSF supplies fuel to other depots in the country and serves as a crucial hub for exports to the East African region.
5. Nakuru Depot
- Capacity: 30,553 cubic meters
- Location: Nakuru
- Details: This depot serves Nakuru and the surrounding counties, providing an essential link in the fuel distribution network between Nairobi and western Kenya. Nakuru’s strategic location makes it an important storage and redistribution point.
6. Eldoret Depot
- Capacity: 48,089 cubic meters
- Location: Eldoret
- Details: The Eldoret depot is critical in the supply chain for petroleum products destined for western Kenya and export markets in Uganda and Rwanda. It serves as a major storage point for fuel before it is transported further inland or across borders.
7. Kisumu Depot
- Capacity: 45,288 cubic meters
- Location: Kisumu
- Details: Positioned near Lake Victoria, the Kisumu depot not only supplies western Kenya but also facilitates petroleum exports via the lake to Uganda, Tanzania, and beyond. Its location makes it a key link in Kenya’s regional fuel trade.
Total Petroleum Storage Capacity in Kenya
The combined storage capacity of all the petroleum depots managed by KPC is 612,233 cubic meters. These depots are strategically distributed across the country to ensure an efficient and reliable supply of petroleum products for both local consumption and export.
Future Expansion and Challenges
Kenya’s petroleum sector faces challenges due to the rising demand for fuel, driven by a growing population, industrial expansion, and increased vehicle ownership. To meet this demand, KPC and other stakeholders are investing in infrastructure development to expand the existing storage capacity and enhance the efficiency of fuel distribution.
Some of the plans in place include:
- Upgrading and expanding existing depots to increase capacity and accommodate growing demand.
- Development of new petroleum depots in under-served regions to ensure even distribution of fuel products across the country.
- Modernization of pipeline infrastructure to streamline the transportation of petroleum products from Mombasa to inland depots.
Additionally, KPC is working to minimize fuel losses, improve safety standards, and adopt environmentally friendly practices to ensure sustainability in petroleum management.
Kenya’s network of petroleum depots ensures the smooth distribution of fuel across the country and into neighboring nations. With a total capacity of 612,233 cubic meters, these depots are a crucial component of the country’s petroleum supply chain. As demand for fuel continues to rise, it is essential for KPC to maintain and expand its infrastructure to meet the needs of both local and regional markets.
For businesses, consumers, and regional traders, understanding the locations and capacities of these depots helps in planning fuel logistics and ensuring a reliable supply of petroleum products.
