Oil exploration in Jonglei begins, gov’t announces

JUBA – South Sudan government has begun oil exploration in the country’s Jonglei state with contract being awarded to a South African state-run oil company, the undersecretary of the ministry of petroleum Mayen Wol announced Wednesday.

Speaking during the closing session of the Oil & Power Conference 2022 in Juba on Wednesday, Wol said the government has started the oil exploration and a team from South Africa state-firm, which has been awarded a contract, will be accompanied to Bor for preparations.

“We have started the exploration and tomorrow (Thursday) we are going with the SFF to Bor for exploration. Next year when you come here, you will see new things. We will do a lot of good new things and refinery,” said Wol.

South Africa in May 2019 signed an exploration and production sharing agreement (EPSA) with South Sudan for Block B2.

Under this agreement which includes six years exploration period, the SFF alongside Nilepet will launch a comprehensive aero gravity survey exploration campaign, seismic acquisition and drills with prospectively.

SFF has agreed to invest in capacity building initiatives, trainings of South Sudanese citizens investing in social and community development projects and ensuring local content and women empowerment.

Block B2 was part of 120,000 square kilometer area known as Block B, which was divided into three licenses in 2012 and is believed to be rich in hydrocarbons although very little has been done to ensure that the country benefit from it.

The Block lies in Jonglei State.

There has been much interest in Block B acreages since the entry of Oranto Petroleum to Block B3 in 2017.