South Sudan officials discuss oil flow, visit Port Sudan export terminals
December 15, 2025 (PORT SUDAN) – Senior South Sudanese government officials on Monday discussed the flow of crude oil exports with Sudan and visited the oil export terminals in Port Sudan, eastern Sudan.
The high-level delegation, which arrived Sunday, was led by Presidential Advisor for Security Affairs Tut Gatluak and included the Foreign Minister, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Petroleum, and technical experts.
The Sudanese Ministry of Energy and Oil released a statement confirming that the South Sudanese team visited the Bashayer oil export ports (1 and 2) in Port Sudan.
The delegation held discussions with Petroline Crude Oil Company and the Bashayer Pipeline Company, which operate the pipelines that transport South Sudan’s crude. The talks focused on maintaining and ensuring the continuity of oil export operations. Discussions also covered bilateral cooperation in this vital sector, which is of major economic importance to both Khartoum and Juba.
Separately, the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) deployed to the Heglig oil field in West Kordofan state on December 10. South Sudanese officials confirmed this followed a tripartite agreement between [SAF Commander] al-Burhan, [South Sudan President] Salva Kiir Mayardit, and [RSF Commander] Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.
The SSPDF deployment occurred two days after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) took control of Heglig. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) had evacuated its defensive positions and withdrawn into South Sudanese territory, where the troops were disarmed.
The Heglig field, located in South Kordofan state, includes 75 oil wells and a central processing facility. It handles 130,000 barrels of crude from South Sudan’s Unity state fields, which is then exported via Sudanese territory.
Energy Minister Al-Mutasim Ibrahim, meeting with the visitors, emphasized that Sudan and South Sudan share historical ties and common interests, particularly in the petroleum sector. He expressed his ministry’s technical readiness to operate and maintain the oil installations for the benefit of both nations.
Ibrahim added that the visit was part of a regular exchange on oil operations, stating that Sudan and South Sudan function as “one family” managing a joint sector of great economic importance.