The development of the oil pipeline in Kenya began when the Government established the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) in 1973.  The Company was charged with the task of constructing a refined oil pipeline system and transporting the petroleum products from Mombasa to the hinterland.  Extensive feasibility studies undertaken, prior to the establishment of the Company, had revealed that a pipeline system was the most suitable mode of transporting petroleum products to the hinterland in terms of cost and convenience.

The pipeline system currently consists of a network of 1,342 km of pipelines running from Mombasa through Nairobi to the Western Kenya towns of Nakuru, Eldoret and Kisumu.  The first 450km 14-inch diameter pipeline was completed in 1978 from Mombasa to Nairobi and an additional 446km 8/6-inch diameter from Nairobi to Western Kenya was constructed and completed in 1994. In 2011 a 325km 14-inch diameter parallel pipeline from Nairobi to Eldoret was commissioned, and another 121km 10-inch diameter parallel pipeline from Sinendet to Kisumu was commissioned in 2016.  The latest addition was the 450km 20-inch diameter parallel pipeline from Mombasa to Nairobi commissioned in June 2018.

KPC has petroleum products storage facilities at its depots located in Nairobi and the major towns of Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret and Kisumu with a total capacity of 417,980m³.  The Company manages and operates the 326,233m³ imports storage facility at Kipevu (KOSF) and another 143,014m³ under a lease arrangement with the Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited (KPRL).

To date, KPC has cost effectively, efficiently and safely transported petroleum products through the pipeline, for consumption in Kenya and the neighboring countries which include Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan and Northern Tanzania. The pipeline throughput has increased from 800m³ in 1978 to 8.1millionm³ in 2020/21.

Core Values

In an endeavour to be the most modern and efficient Company in the oil and gas industry in Africa, KPC fraternity shares the following core values: –

1. Integrity
2. Transparency
3. Accountability
4. Diligence
5. Team Spirit.
6. Loyalty
7. Care for the Environment

Operating Service Principles

KPC’s operating service principles are: –

• Maintaining and promoting the highest standards of professionalism;
• Promoting efficient, effective and economic use of resources;
• Providing effective, impartial, fair and equitable services;
• Being responsive to stakeholders’ needs;
• Being transparent and accountable in provision of services;
• Adhering to good corporate governance;
• Handling our stakeholders with dignity, courtesy and utmost respect
  Treating information provided by our stakeholders with integrity;
• Promoting dynamism and innovative practices through continuous improvements
  of systems and processes
• Giving back to society by engaging in Corporate Social Responsibility Programmes.