A recent report in the local dailies has shattered Kenya’s dream of becoming a natural gas producing nation. The report revealed that tests carried out in the US indicated that the substance originated from decomposed animal and plant material.
Natural gas is usually a product of decomposed marine microorganisms deposited over the past 550 million years. Pure natural gas is colourless, odourless, and it mainly consists of methane.
The False Discovery
During a borehole drilling process in Kipeto, Kajiado County, hydrologists discovered at 200 meters an odourless gas that was flammable. The finding led to the conclusion that it was natural gas.
More Tests Could Be Carried Out
Despite the negative tests, industry experts and state officials recommend more tests to be carried out in order to establish the nature of the gas.
“It is a positive development and the analysis of the gas will give us a clearer idea of what it is,” Joe Watson Gakuo, CEO Upstream Oil & Gas stated. “However, it does inform us that there is a working hydrocarbon system in Kajiado, which lies on National Oil’s Block 14T.”
