Nairobi, 12th April 2018; The National Oil Corporation of Kenya (National Oil) has engaged Schlumberger Limited, the world’s number one oil and gas services company and the global leading provider of technology for reservoir characterization, drilling, production, and processing to the oil and gas industry, to support the Corporation in building capability in the area of field development planning and production optimisation. The engagement is for a one year period during which National Oil jointly with Schlumberger will come up with a Field Development Plan (FDP) which is the development blue print for the Lokichar oil discoveries. This FDP will provide the Government with an independent view of the development of the Lokichar oil discoveries which will be useful in supporting the Government in evaluating the work already being done by the investors namely; Tullow, Africa Oil and Maersk.

According to the National Oil CEO Ms. MaryJane Mwangi “the objective of engaging a firm with the global capabilities and reputation as Schlumberger, is to strengthen National Oil’s role as an advisor to Government in the development of the national petroleum resource”. Ms. Mwangi continued to explain that “through this engagement with Schlumberger National Oil will be equipped to better advise the Government on the best principles and practices for developing the oil discoveries in Lokichar with a view to safeguarding national interest”.

Underlying this engagement with Schlumberger is a comprehensive skills transfer exercise anchored on a project based learning model through which technical oil and gas skills will be transferred to a team of 25 staff from both National Oil and the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining. According to the CEO “this project will see significant skills transfer particularly to our young graduate trainees which is central to National Oil’s as well as the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining’s agenda of securing the future of the oil and gas industry in Kenya”. The project combines a classroom based learning with a hands on learning that allows for comprehensive skills transfer. To further nurture and shape the professional careers for the National Oil team, the project also entails a mentorship programme through which National Oil staff will be attached to subject matter experts within Schlumberger for one-on-one mentorship.

Ms. Mwangi thanked the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining who through the World Bank funded Kenya Petroleum Technical Assistance Project (KEPTAP) has provided the support to enable National Oil to engage Schlumberger. She reiterated National Oil’s commitment as the commercial arm of Government on all upstream petroleum matters to effectively support the Government in successfully delivering the Lokichar crude oil project.