Sudan to boost oil production to 600,000 bpd in 2009

November 7, 2008 (BEIJING) – Sudan says its daily oil production will be increased next year, going from 500,000 million barrels a day this year to 600,000 million barrels in 2009.

Sudan has set its oil production target for 2009 at 600,000 barrels per day (bpd), an increase of 20 percent from 500,000 bpd this year, the country’s said on Friday.

Sudanese mining and energy minister told reporter in Beijing that the daily production of the east African country will be 600, 000 bpd next year. However the minister didn’t elaborate how Sudan would boost production.

Al-Hassan who is attending a forum of Chinese oil companies dismissed any impact of the financial crisis on the country’s buyers, who are mainly Chinese refiners and Western trading houses.

Further he said that Sudan has no plan to join producer cartel the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries saying that Sudanese production is too small.

Sudan’s exports of crude to China in the first nine months this year were around 205,000 bpd, steady to 2007 levels when they more than doubled from the previous year after the East African nation brought onstream heavy, highly acidic crude Dar Blend crude.

Despite the minister’s projections of higher production next year, output on the Greater Nile project, where the key Nile Blend grade is produced, has fallen below 250,000 bpd, well off the 325,000-bpd peak.

(ST)