Related documents
- Is amended by 24th Annual Supplement

LAWS OF KENYA
PETROLEUM ACT
CAP. 308
- Published in Kenya Gazette Vol. CXXI—No. 37 on 29 March 2019
- Assented to on 12 March 2019
- Commenced on 28 March 2019
- [Revised by 24th Annual Supplement (Legal Notice 221 of 2023) on 31 December 2022]
Part I – PRELIMINARY
1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Petroleum Act.2. Interpretation
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—"adulterated petroleum" means any mixed refined petroleum products that alter product specifications detailed in the applicable Kenya Standards;"Advisory Committee” means the National Upstream Petroleum Advisory Committee established under section 12 of this Act;"agent" means a person appointed in writing by the Authority to perform any of its functions;"associated natural gas" means—3. Scope of the Act
This Act shall apply to all upstream, midstream and downstream petroleum operations being carried out in Kenya.4. Act to prevail
Part II – NATIONAL PETROLEUM POLICY AND PLAN
5. National petroleum policy
6. National petroleum strategic plan
7. Monitoring implementation of national petroleum strategic plan
Within three months after the end of each financial year, the Cabinet Secretary shall prepare and publish a report on the implementation of the national petroleum strategic plan.8. Conduct of petroleum operations
9. Promotion of petroleum investments
Part III – PETROLEUM INSTITUTIONS
10. Functions of the Cabinet Secretary
11. Directions by the Cabinet Secretary
12. Establishment of the National Upstream Petroleum Advisory Committee
13. Function of the Advisory Committee
Part IV – UPSTREAM PETROLEUM RIGHTS AND MANAGEMENT OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES
14. Property in Petroleum
15. Constitution of blocks
16. Licensing
17. Financial and technical obligations of the contractor
18. Negotiation, award and execution of petroleum agreements
19. Express rights and obligations in petroleum agreements
20. Submission of joint operating agreements
Where two or more persons have formed a partnership with a view of jointly applying for a petroleum agreement, they shall, upon executing a petroleum agreement submit a joint operating agreement to the Cabinet Secretary on or before the effective date of the petroleum agreement.21. Operator
22. Application for non-exclusive exploration permit
23. Grant of non-exclusive exploration permit
24. Operational permits
25. Security for compliance and suspension or termination of petroleum agreement
26. Transfer of interest in petroleum agreement
27. Report of discovery of petroleum
28. Notification prior to abandonment
29. Surrender of blocks
30. Development
31. Ratification by Parliament
32. Petroleum production
A contractor shall apply to the Authority for a production permit and the application shall be accompanied by—33. Variations or alterations in field development plan
34. Natural gas
A petroleum agreement may prescribe terms and conditions in respect of natural gas including—35. Restriction on removal of petroleum and samples
36. Unitization
37. Third party access to infrastructure
38. Segmentation
39. Petroleum field decommissioning plan
40. Decommissioning funds
41. Notification of termination and decommissioning
42. Disposal of decommissioned facilities
43. Removal of property by the contractor
44. Liability for damages for disposal of decommissioned facility
Part V – INFORMATION AND REPORTING
45. Reporting requirement
The contractor shall submit to the Authority reports on—46. Disclosure of information
Information obtained under section 45 relating to any matter shall not be published or otherwise disclosed to a third party without prior consent in writing from the person from whom the information was obtained.Provided that nothing in this section shall restrict—47. Contractor to furnish information
It shall be the duty of every contractor to furnish the Cabinet Secretary and the Authority as the case may be at such times and in such form and manner, such information as the Cabinet Secretary and the Authority may in writing require.48. False information
A person who refuses to furnish the information requested under section 47 or who makes a false statement or a statement which he has reason to believe is untrue, to the Cabinet Secretary, and to the Authority, as required under this Act, commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine of not less than twenty million shillings or to a term of imprisonment of not less than five years or both.49. Information required by Authority
Part VI – LOCAL CONTENT AND TRAINING
50. Local content requirements
51. Monitoring and enforcement of local content
52. Training and Training Fund
Part VII – PAYMENTS AND REVENUES
53. Contractor to comply with financial and fiscal obligations in agreement
54. Annual fees
55. Signature bonus
56. Payment terms
All payments due to the National Government under this Act shall be in an internationally acceptable and freely convertible currency.57. Petroleum revenue
58. Sharing of petroleum resource
Part VIII – ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH AND SAFETY
59. Environmental compliance
60. Waste management
61. Maintenance of property
62. Venting and flaring of oil and natural gas
63. Reporting of accidents and incidents
64. Standardization
A person shall not use or employ for or in connection with any of the purposes of producing, transporting, storing or using upstream petroleum, any mode, material or apparatus other than that which complies with the specification or standard of the Kenya Bureau of Standards or where no such standard exists, any international standard approved by the Kenya Bureau of Standards.65. Safety
Upstream petroleum operations shall be conducted in such a manner as to enable a high level of safety to be maintained and further developed in accordance with technological advancement, best petroleum industry practices, the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Cap. 236A) and any other applicable laws.66. Safety precautions
67. General requirements for emergency preparedness
68. Emergency preparedness measures
69. Disaster preparedness, prevention and management unit
70. Safety zones
71. Suspension of upstream petroleum operations pursuant to emergency
72. Liability of contractor for damage due to pollution
The contractor shall be liable for damage from pollution without regard to fault from whichever source related to the upstream petroleum operations of the contractor when the damage occurs in Kenya or within its territorial waters.Part IX – MIDSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM PETROLEUM
Licensing
73. Granting of licences
74. Requirements of licence for petroleum business
75. Factors to be considered in reviewing an application
The licensing authority shall, in granting or rejecting an application for a licence or permit, take into consideration—76. Forms and conditions of a licence or permit
77. Renewal of Licences
78. Amendment of licence, permit or certificate
79. Environment liability policy
An application for a licence shall be accompanied by an environmental liability policy as may be prescribed by the Authority.80. Display of licences and permits
81. Revocation of licence or permit
82. Replacement of a licence, permit or certificate
83. Transfer of a licence or permit
84. Register of licences and permits
85. Appeal against action of a licensing authority
A person aggrieved by the action of the licensing authority in—86. Construction permits
87. Conditions for granting permits
88. Exemption from the requirement for a permit
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act—89. Suspension or revocation of a construction permit
90. Validity of permits
If, after a permit to construct a pipeline, a refinery, a bulk storage facility or a retail dispensing site has been granted, the execution of the works has not commenced at the expiry of twelve months from the date on which the permit was granted, or at the expiration of any extended period which the licensing authority may allow, the permit shall cease to have effect.91. Destruction of illegal construction
92. Standards for petroleum
93. Maintenance of minimum operational stocks
It shall be the duty of a person licensed to import petroleum to maintain such quantities of petroleum and at such locations as may be prescribed by the Cabinet Secretary on the recommendation of the Authority.94. Contracts for common user facilities
95. Forms of contract for common user facilities
96. Power of the Cabinet Secretary to provide strategic petroleum stocks
The Cabinet Secretary may undertake in whole or in part, the provision of financing, procurement, storage, maintenance and management of petroleum strategic stocks.97. Compliance with environmental, health and safety laws
98. Designated parking for petroleum tankers
99. Offences and attempted offences
100. Contraventions by petroleum carrying ships
101. Regulations for downstream petroleum
The Cabinet Secretary may, on the recommendation of the Authority , make regulations—102. Licensee to furnish information
It shall be the duty of every licensee to furnish to the licensing authority at such times and in such form and manner, such information as the licensing authority may, in writing, require.103. False information
A licensee who makes a false statement or a statement which he has reason to believe is untrue, to the Cabinet Secretary, or to the Authority, committee, agent or an officer acting on behalf of the Authority, as required under this Act, commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding ten million shillings or imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.104. Disclosure of information
Information obtained under section 103 relating to any matter shall not be published or otherwise disclosed to a third party without prior consent in writing from the person from whom the information was obtained:Provided that nothing in this section shall restrict—105. Licensing authorities not to discriminate
While discharging its functions and exercising its powers under the Act, a licensing authority shall ensure that no particular person is given undue preference or subjected to any undue disadvantage.106. Prosecution of offences
The Director Public Prosecutions shall, on the request of the Commission, appoint any officer of the Commission or an advocate of the High Court to be a public prosecutor for the purposes of prosecuting offences under this Act.107. Consolidated Energy Fund
Part X – USE OF LAND FOR PETROLEUM OPERATIONS
108. Access to land
109. Power of entry to inspect land
The National Land Commission may authorize in writing, any person to enter upon any land specified in section 108 to inspect the land and to do all things that may be reasonably necessary to ascertain whether the land is suitable for the intended purpose.Provided that if there is any damage resulting from such entry the applicant shall pay in full, just compensation as is payable under the relevant written laws and as shall be prescribed by regulations.110. Consent to proposal
111. Objection to proposal
112. Payment of compensation
If any difficulty or question arises as to the person entitled to compensation payable under this Act, the determination on entitlement shall be made in accordance with the provisions of the relevant written laws.113. Power of the contractor or licensee to enter land to inspect or repair upstream petroleum infrastructure
114. Liability of contractor or licensee to make compensation for damage
The provisions of this Act shall not relieve a contractor or licensee of the liability to make compensation to the owner or occupier of any land or the agents, workmen or servants of the owner or occupier of any land which is the subject of the provisions of this Act, for damage, loss or loss of use caused by the exercise or use of any power or authority conferred by this Act or by any irregularity, trespass or other wrongful proceeding in the execution of this Act, or by the loss or damage or breaking of any petroleum infrastructure, or by reason of any defect in such infrastructure.115. Installation of petroleum infrastructure along roads, railways, etc
116. Compulsory acquisition of land
Part XI – MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
117. Dispute resolution
118. Indemnity of the Government of the Republic of Kenya
A contractor under a petroleum agreement shall keep the national government indemnified against all actions, claims and demands that may be brought or made against the national government by reason of anything done by the contractor in the exercise of the rights under the petroleum agreement.119. Framework for reporting, transparency and accountability
120. Orders of forfeiture
Where a person is convicted of an offence under this Act, in addition to any other penalty imposed, an order shall be made—121. Offences deemed to be economic crimes
122. Offences by body corporates or their employees
An employer or principal shall be liable for an offence committed by an employee or agent under this Act, unless the employer or principal proves that the offence was committed against the employer's or principal's express or standing directions.123. Penalties not to affect other liabilities
The penalties imposed under this Act shall be in addition to and not in derogation of any liabilities in respect of payment of compensation or revocation of a petroleum agreement or permit as the case may be.124. General penalty
Where any default in or contravention of any of the provisions of this Act is made for which no fine or penalty is expressly stated, the person so defaulting or contravening shall on conviction be liable to a fine of not less than Kenya shillings five million.125. Community rights
Subject to the provisions of the Constitution and any other written law, the community shall have the right to—126. Cabinet Secretary may make Regulations
127. Regulations
Without limiting the generality of section 126, the Cabinet Secretary may make regulations with respect to the following—Part XII – REPEALS, SAVINGS AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS
128. Repeals, savings and transitional provisions
History of this document
31 December 2022 this version
Revised by
24th Annual Supplement
29 March 2019
28 March 2019
Commenced
12 March 2019
Assented to
Cited documents 2
Act 2
1. | Public Finance Management Act | 723 citations |
2. | Occupational Safety and Health Act | 144 citations |
Documents citing this one 35
Judgment 21
Gazette 9
Act 2
1. | Income Tax Act | 841 citations |
2. | Value Added Tax Act | 520 citations |
Bench Bulletin 2
1. | Bench Bulletin - Issue 46 | |
2. | Bench Bulletin - Issue 59 |
Legal Notice 1
1. | The Income Tax Act-Exemption |
Subsidiary legislation
Title
|
|
---|---|
The Petroleum (Importation) Regulations, 2023 | Legal Notice 3 of 2023 |
The Petroleum (Pricing) Regulations | Legal Notice 192 of 2022 |
The Petroleum (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) Regulations | Legal Notice 100 of 2019 |
The Petroleum (Exploration and Production) (Training Fund) Regulations, 2006 | Legal Notice 132 of 2006 |
The Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Regulations, 1984 | Legal Notice 193 of 1984 |