South Sudan resumes production of Unity oil fields
January 21, 2019 (JUBA) -South Sudan Monday officially resumed the production of the Unity oil fields by pumping 15,000 barrels a day, four months after the signing of a peace agreement that ended the five-year civil war.
“We are now producing 35,000 barrels a day (Unity Oilfields 15,000 barrels a day and Toma South Oilfields with 20,000 barrels a day),” said Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, Minister of Petroleum during the ceremony at the field.
Gatkuoth was accompanied by his Sudanese counterpart Azhari A. Abdallah who vowed to continue cooperation with South Sudan to operate the remaining wells.
“We promise that this is going to be on stream and we can expect the production to increase,” Abdallah said.
Sudan which also pumps the South Sudanese oil production until the Red Sea for exportation to the international market receives between $9 to 11 per barrel of oil.
The South Sudanese oil is currently sold for $61 per barrel.
Minister Gatkuoth added that by the end of 2019, the production at Toma South and Unity oilfields of Block 1,2 and 4 will double to reach 70,000 barrels a day.
The government plans to increase the production of the Unity wells to boost the current low production of 130,000 barrels per day. Before the eruption of the armed conflict in December 2013, the country used to produce the 350,000 barrels a day.
The launch ceremony was attended by Joseph Nguen Monytuil Wejang, Governor of Northern Liech State and local lawmakers as well as officials of the oil companies working in South Sudan including CNPC, Petronas, ONGC and Nilepet officials.
(ST)