An oil expert and former Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy, Dr Hamid Suleiman, has reported an attack on a major unit at the Al-Jaili Oil Refinery, which is currently under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Since last year, the refinery, located in the Al-Jaili area approximately 70 kilometres north of Khartoum, has been subjected to shelling. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) has not claimed responsibility for attacking the facility.
The first attack on the strategic facility occurred in November last year, with both warring parties trading accusations regarding responsibility for the explosions.
In a statement to Radio Tamazuj, Dr. Suleiman mentioned that the unit hit or the extent of the damage from the Thursday attack were still unclear, but the thick plumes of smoke rising from the refinery indicated a significant harm.
Suleiman emphasized that the refinery is part of a vital and strategic energy complex in the region, which includes petrochemical facilities, power stations, storage depots, crude oil pumping stations, and stations for pumping petroleum derivatives such as gasoline and diesel.
He added: “The conflicting parties have exchanged accusations regarding the attack, while authorities are striving to assess the extent of the damage and any other potential harm resulting from the strike.”
Suleiman stressed that any attack on the refinery jeopardized the entire complex and other vital facilities in the area. He stated: “Al-Jaili Refinery is one of the strategic facilities in the oil sector, playing a crucial role in meeting the country’s petroleum needs. Any damage to it would result in significant destruction and losses in other stations.”
Suleiman condemned the attack on civilian institutions and infrastructure, asserting the need to enforce laws to prevent such targeting by both warring parties.
An oil engineer at the Al-Jaili Refinery, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirmed to Radio Tamazuj that the affected unit was the pipeline to Khartoum. He also noted previous incidents in several major units, including damage to the RFCC and CCR units, along with an issue in the OMS oil movement unit. Other units within the refinery have experienced multiple incidents, including a major fire in the strategic export line depots, resulting in injuries.
Specialized teams were currently working to contain the situation and assess the damage to ensure the safety of the workers and the continued safe operation of the refinery.
The Al Jaili Oil Refinery was established in 1997 with a design capacity of 100,000 barrels per day. It produces gasoline, cooking gas and diesel, supplying 45% of the country’s oil needs.
The refinery is connected via a 1610-kilometre pipeline to the Bashayer port on the Red Sea for export purposes. It also receives crude oil from wells in West Kordofan and South Sudan. However, the ongoing war has partially halted oil exports from South Sudan.