In 2017, a borehole drilling operation in Kajiado County accidentally uncovered a flammable gas deposit, prompting initial speculation about natural gas reserves. Hydrologists drilling for water in Kipeto encountered an odorless gas at 200 meters depth, which ignited when a lit match was thrown into the borehole. Laboratory tests by Kenyan and U.S. facilities later deemed the find non-commercial, though questions remained about whether the dismissal concealed broader interests.
Historical records reveal similar gas-related discoveries in the region. In the 1990s, a Dutch agency drilling near Magadi found gas later tested as cooking gas with impurities. Decades earlier, in the 1980s, a hydrologist in Turkana County reported encountering a kerosene-scented black liquid. Kengar Monena, who tested a sample with Kenya Petroleum Refineries Ltd (KPRL) in 2006, alleged that powerful entities secured exploration licenses before he could pursue further investigation, following a 2002 regime change.
Nock launched a 2019 geological mapping initiative in Kajiado to re-examine the Kipeto area, focusing on Block 14T where it holds exploration rights. Initial tests of the 2017 gas sample by SGS Kenya and Weatherford Laboratories recommended further isotopic analysis. The survey, covering 28x20 km, aims to identify potential gas sources ahead of Nock's planned 2020 Final Investment Decision for the Lokichar oil project.
Regional developments include Tanzania's 57 trillion cubic feet gas reserves and cross-border discussions about potential imports. Nock also plans a dual listing on the Nairobi and London stock exchanges to raise $1 billion, while Zarara Oil & Gas drills exploration wells in Lamu's Pate Island with a 50-megawatt power plant project. Kenya revived a gas-fired power project in Mombasa after its 2016 suspension.
