South Sudan will resume oil production in Blocks 3 and 7 on 8 January with 90,000 barrels per day (bpd), the petroleum minister revealed on Tuesday.
This follows Sudan’s lifting of a force majeure on the transportation of South Sudan’s crude oil to Port Sudan on the Red Sea after security conditions improved.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol said oil production and export at Blocks 3 and 7 will officially resume on Wednesday.
“With the force majeure having been officially lifted by the Government of Sudan through its letter dated 4 January 2025, based on that, the Ministry of Petroleum and partners would like to declare that the kick-off date for DAR Petroleum Operating Company Ltd (DPOC) resumption is as early as tomorrow (Wednesday),” he stated.
Kang directed Basher Pipeline Company (BAPCO) Company, to immediately embark on the resumption without any delay.
“This is basically to say our D-Day that we have been waiting for is tomorrow, 8 January 2025. As such, the Ministry of Petroleum and partners are hereby directing DPOC, in coordination with BAPCO, to immediately embark on the resumption without any delay,” he said. “From here today, we will not allow one minute because we have talked, we have agreed, in this room today, we are partners, we have DPOC, and we have all agreed that tomorrow is the day.”
The minister said the resumption of crude oil production will significantly improve the country’s economic fortunes.
“I would like to thank the people of South Sudan for being patient up to this moment, and this may improve our economy in one way or another once it is realized,” Kang said. “We know that our economy is suffering. We also recognize that more than 70 percent of our oil production comes from DPOC. We believe that with tomorrow’s resumption, resources will be back on the table.”