South Sudan says it won’t resume oil production until end of Sudan conflict

JUBA – The South Sudanese government, which is heavily reliant on oil exports for its revenue, has announced that it will not resume oil production until the ongoing conflict in neighboring Sudan is resolved.

Minister of Petroleum Puot Kang Chol made this declaration during a lengthy closed-door session in parliament, where he and ten other ministers briefed lawmakers on the country’s deepening economic crisis, according to a parliamentary official.

Speaking to journalists following the plenary on Tuesday, Oliver Mori Benjamin, parliamentary spokesman, said the petroleum minister informed the house that oil exports will only resume once the conflict in Sudan had ended.

Benjamin said that the pipeline, which serves as a vital artery for the country’s economy, has been compromised, hindering the transportation of crude oil to international markets.

“There will be no resumption of oil until the war in Sudan subsides because our pipeline, which transports oil to Port Sudan, has been blocked. It ruptured, causing part of the oil to flow out while the rest remains in the pipe, thickening and blocking the main pipeline carrying crude oil,” Mori said.

“Our government decided to send our own people, despite the security risks, to address the situation professionally and to close those pipes causing danger. If not managed properly, this could lead to further complications on the production side, which could be hazardous,” he added.

South Sudan’s oil exports have been halted since February 6, 2024, following damage to the pipeline. Force majeure was declared on March 16 after operators of the Jabalayn-Port Sudan pipeline discovered gelling between Pump Stations 4 and 5, located in a military operation zone.

Sudanese authorities first detected an impeded flow in mid-February. Earlier this year, concerns were heightened when Sudan’s main refinery, the 100,000-bpd al-Jaili facility near Khartoum, was hit by shelling in January and February.

The suspension of oil production, which occurred last year following outbreak of war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has exacerbated South Sudan’s already fragile economic situation.