ADVOKS GLOBAL · KENYA
Petroleum Act
59. Environmental compliance
Edition: 2026-07-24 · In force
59. Environmental compliance
(1)A contractor shall carry out upstream petroleum operations in the contract area in accordance with all the applicable environment, health, safety and maritime laws and best petroleum industry practices.(2)Without prejudice to the generality of the subsection (1), the contractor shall—(a)take all reasonable steps necessary to secure the safety, health and welfare of persons engaged in all its operations in or about the contract area;(b)deploy the best available technology to assure quality, environment, health and safety requirements are met;(c)control the flow and prevent the waste or escape in the contract area of petroleum, gas (not being petroleum) or water;(d)prevent the escape in the contract area of any mixture of water or drilling fluid and petroleum or any other matter;(e)prevent damage to petroleum bearing strata in any area in respect of which the petroleum agreement is not in force;(f)keep separate, in such manner as the Authority may by notice in writing served on the contractor direct, each petroleum reservoir discovered in the contract area, and any sources of water discovered in the contract area;(g)prevent water or any other matter entering any petroleum reservoir through the wells in the exploration or development area, except when required by, and in accordance with, best petroleum industry practices;(h)prevent the pollution of any soil, air, biodiversity, brine, water well, spring, stream, river, lake, reservoir, sea, forest, wildlife and marine, estuary or harbour by the escape of petroleum, salt water, drilling fluid, chemical additive, gas (not being petroleum) or any other waste product or effluent;(i)where pollution occurs, treat or disperse it in an environmentally acceptable manner;(j)furnish to the Authority, prior to the drilling of any well, a detailed report on the technique to be employed, an estimate of the time to be taken, the material to be used and the safety measures to be employed, in the drilling of the well; and(k)prevent from flaring or venting of oil and natural gas by undertaking all reasonable steps including the harnessing or re-injecting of the gas.