Sudan, Saudi firm sign pact to revamp Khartoum refinery and build coastal plant

September 10, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabia’s Twaik Group to rehabilitate the damaged Khartoum oil refinery and build a new facility on the Red Sea coast, the energy ministry said on Thursday.

The agreement aims to develop significant refining capacity in the strategic port city of Port Sudan as Khartoum looks to attract foreign energy capital to revive its war-hit downstream sector.

The pact was signed on Wednesday at the energy ministry in Khartoum by Mohamed Awad al-Jaq, head of petroleum facilities, and Sultan al-Anazi, chief executive of Twaik Group.

Sudan’s energy undersecretary welcomed the move, stating that bilateral cooperation in the hydrocarbons sector begins with the two downstream projects, and instructed officials to expedite technical steps toward a final binding contract.

Al-Anazi said the conglomerate was prepared to deploy technical and financial resources in Sudan, highlighting past involvement in refinery construction and industrial infrastructure across the Gulf Arab region.

The signing followed a week of technical and financial talks in Khartoum between the Saudi delegation and Sudanese downstream officials, al-Jaq said.

Former state minister for oil Saad Eldin al-Bushra welcomed fresh capital injections into Sudan’s oil and gas infrastructure, particularly commercially operated coastal refining capacity in Port Sudan.

Al-Bushra told Sudan Tribune he was unfamiliar with Twaik Group’s prior track record in crude processing, but viewed the deal as part of broader bilateral ties, adding that a Red Sea refinery would capitalize on regional marine trade lanes.

He noted that previous plans for a Port Sudan refinery stalled because of domestic instability, arguing that export-oriented, commercial refining could yield strong economic returns.

Turning to the 100,000 barrel-per-day Khartoum refinery, which has suffered heavy damage during the war, al-Bushra said Chinese operators were previously willing to assist in repairs, though talks stalled.

Twaik Group’s portfolio includes infrastructure, contracting, and mining entities, as well as Ammar United, a subsidiary active in downstream oil and gas services, the ministry said.