• Kenya does not produce or hold any proven hydrocarbon reserves. Hydrocarbon exploration dates back to the 1950s, but there has been limited success. In 2012, the United Kingdom-based Tullow made two notable oil discoveries. The company is currently evaluating the commercial viability of its finds.
• Kenya plays a critical role as a transit country in East Africa since its neighboring countries depend on crude oil and petroleum products imported through Kenya's Mombasa Port.
• Kenya has one of the largest crude oil refineries in East Africa, the 90,000-barrels-per-day (bbl/d) Mombasa refinery. The refinery typically operates below capacity and processes Murban heavy crude from Abu Dhabi and other heavy Middle-Eastern crude grades. In 2011, Kenya imported about 33,000 bbl/d of crude oil entirely from the United Arab Emirates, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
• Kenya imported 51,000 bbl/d of refined oil products in 2011, according to KNBS. Kenya has a product pipeline system that transports petroleum products from Mombasa to inland areas. Most of the imported and/or domestically refined products are sold in Kenya's major cities and the remainder is sent to neighboring countries via trucks. In 2011, Kenya consumed around 81,000 bbl/d of oil products.
• According to the World Bank's latest data, about 16 percent of Kenya's population has access to electricity. Electricity net generation was 7.3 billion kilowatthours (KWh) in 2010, of which 5.2 billion KWh derived from renewable sources (hydro, geothermal, biomass, and wind) and 2.2 billion KWh from petroleum. The vast majority of the population relies on traditional biomass and waste, particularly fuelwood, for heating and cooking.
• Kenya is one of two countries (including Ethiopia) that produce geothermal energy in Africa. In 2010, geothermal accounted for almost 20 percent of Kenya's total electricity generation. The country has the potential to produce 10,000 megawatts of geothermal-powered electricity, according to Kenya's state-owned Geothermal Development Company.

Analysis Last Updated: April 2013