Total, Sudan oil minister did not discuss resuming oil operations

Special to Sudan Tribune

LONDON, Jan 27,2004 (Platts) — France’s Total said Tuesday the Sudanese oil minister, Awad Ahmad al-Jaz, met with the company’s country manager last week in Paris to discuss the progress of peace negotiations in the African country.

“It was a courtesy call…Total reminded the minister of the peace required in Sudan [to resume operations] the conditions haven’t yet changed,” said a Total spokesman.

He said the minister met with Jean Privey, general manager for Africa, but there were no talks on resuming operations at Total’s inactive Block 5 in southern Sudan’s Bor Basin.

Earlier this month, French Foreign Trade Minister, Francois Loos, met with Industry Minister, Jalal Yousuf al-Digair, in Khartoum. It was the first time a French minister visited Sudan for several years.

According to local press reports, al-Digair told a press conference Total would resume oil exploration activities this year at its concession in Bor Basin although Total denied this report.
Total acquired Block B in or about 1980 and it encompasses the area where the El Muglad and Melut Basins join. The block stretches with zigzag borders south from Malakal to Bor and east to the Ethiopian border and covers around 120,000 sq km.

Total carried out seismic surveys in the early 1980s and found that Block 5 (then Block B) had the potential for oil production. The company suspended operations in Sudan for security reasons in 1985.

Earlier this month, Sudan’s government and main southern rebel movement signed an agreement on sharing the country’s wealth in a deal that marked a step toward ending the 20-year civil war. The accord provides for an approximate 50-50 split of oil revenue and other income between the government and an autonomous administration in the south to be run by the political wing of the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA).

However a comprehensive peace deal still needs to be thrashed out. In December, Khartoum and the SPLA failed to meet a self-imposed end-of-year deadline for sealing the deal. The two toughest issues of the peace process remain unresolved-how to share power and the status of three disputed regions in central Sudan.

Observers say this should be resolved sooner rather than later. On Monday, the Sudanese government and the SPLA extended a ceasefire by a month and adjourned until Feb 17 talks aiming for a comprehensive peace agreement.