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Construction of S Sudan's First Oil Refinery to Start Before Year-End

The construction of South Sudan’s delayed first oil refinery is due to start before the end of the year, its government said Thursday, as the country seeks to end chronic fuel supply disruptions. The information ministry said in a statement that construction of the 5,000 barrel-a-day Bentiu Refinery in the Unity state was originally expected to begin in July but had been delayed, mainly due to bad road conditions that hindered equipment delivery. South Sudan took the majority of Sudan’s oil production when it became independent in 2011 but has no refineries of its own and has had to import fuel from Sudan or other neighboring countries. The Bentiu Refinery is key in helping the country to control escalating fuel prices caused by inflation, a weakening currency and disruptions along the main import route through Uganda caused by flooding. The plant […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple
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Sudan, South Sudan’s Nile, Dar Blend exports to hit 300,000 b/d next year

Exports of Nile and Dar Blend crude oil from Sudan and South Sudan could be raised to 300,000 b/d next year from a current 230,000 b/d as more fields that were previously shut-in are brought back online, officials from South Sudan’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mining said Thursday. “The shutdown was one year and two months and there is a big focus now to bring the production up. The main challenge is that the fields produced too much water during the shutdown and now we’re doing some maintenance and so many fields are currently not producing,” a ministry official said on the sidelines of a conference in Shanghai. “In 2014, the production [of both blends] may reach 300,000 b/d and there is ongoing focus in the longer term to reach up to 400,000 b/d or 500,000 b/d,” he added. Article continues below… Request a […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple
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Sudan, South Sudan's Nile, Dar Blend exports to hit 300,000 b/d next year

Exports of Nile and Dar Blend crude oil from Sudan and South Sudan could be raised to 300,000 b/d next year from a current 230,000 b/d as more fields that were previously shut-in are brought back online, officials from South Sudan’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mining said Thursday. “The shutdown was one year and two months and there is a big focus now to bring the production up. The main challenge is that the fields produced too much water during the shutdown and now we’re doing some maintenance and so many fields are currently not producing,” a ministry official said on the sidelines of a conference in Shanghai. “In 2014, the production [of both blends] may reach 300,000 b/d and there is ongoing focus in the longer term to reach up to 400,000 b/d or 500,000 b/d,” he added. Article continues below… Request a […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple
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Sudan devalues currency by 22.6% amid dollar shortages

Share/Bookmark Sudan’s central bank has devalued the Sudanese pound by 22.6 percent against the dollar, the second such move in little over a year as the African country struggles with hard currency shortages. Sudan’s economy has been in turmoil since South Sudan’s secession in 2011 took away of three-quarters of oil production. Oil was the driver of the economy and source for dollars needed for food and other essential imports. Sudan produces too little to feed its around 32 million people. Bidding prices for the pound were stated as 5.6871 for one dollar, compared with 4.4 previously, central bank data on Reuters terminals showed on Monday. Ask prices were 5.7155. In 2011, the official rate was around 3. The central bank has been trying to bridge a ballooning gap with the black market rate where one dollar costs 7.8 pounds as import firms struggle to get their hand on […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple
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India says patience needed on Sudan’s missed pipeline payments

NEW DELHI, Nov. 4 (UPI) — Indian energy company ONGC Videsh Ltd. was asked to be patient with Sudan, which has missed four payments for pipeline work, officials said. Sudan missed the payments to the international subsidiary of India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corp. for pipeline work in Sudan, the Times of India reported Saturday. “We should show some more patience to the government of Sudan … as it would have repercussions on our engagement with that country in the oil sector,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs was quoted as saying. The Times reported India is vying for a larger role in a Sudanese oil sector dominated by Chinese energy companies. Sudan controls most of the pipeline infrastructure in the country but lost some reserves to South Sudan when the latter gained independence in 2011. “Our ambassador has also suggested [ONGC Videsh] should look at the possibility of converting […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple
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India says patience needed on Sudan's missed pipeline payments

NEW DELHI, Nov. 4 (UPI) — Indian energy company ONGC Videsh Ltd. was asked to be patient with Sudan, which has missed four payments for pipeline work, officials said. Sudan missed the payments to the international subsidiary of India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corp. for pipeline work in Sudan, the Times of India reported Saturday. “We should show some more patience to the government of Sudan … as it would have repercussions on our engagement with that country in the oil sector,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs was quoted as saying. The Times reported India is vying for a larger role in a Sudanese oil sector dominated by Chinese energy companies. Sudan controls most of the pipeline infrastructure in the country but lost some reserves to South Sudan when the latter gained independence in 2011. “Our ambassador has also suggested [ONGC Videsh] should look at the possibility of converting […]

Posted On : Published By : Tom Whipple