China is shifting ties of the Referendum, cozying up to the nation's separatist southern region. "Chinese officials in Juba and Beijing have made clear that they are willing to recognize an independent Southern Sudan, and that they will follow the lead of the African Union".

The Sudanese president Al-Bashir offered to let the South take the entire revenue from the southern oil wealth in return for a unity vote in the referendum.

Oil inflamed Sudan's civil war for decades but could now help seal the peace as the south becomes independent and needs the north to refine its crude. there's no other option but to continue -- in a form still open to negotiations -- the sharing of oil wealth even in a likely post-secession scenario.

GoNU and GoSS should establish a fully-fledged audit system to cater for the oil industry’s socio-economic, environmental, and security impact after the south’s referendum on independence, a two-day oil conference resolved. It was also recommended that oil companies compensate communities for past and current injustices.

Northern Sudanese working in the oil-producing south should not panic as the south’s referendum on independence approaches, region Vice President, Riek Machar told oil workers on December 6.

On 7-8 December 2010, the conference “Sudan's Oil Industry After the Referendum” was held in Juba. The conference was attended by well over 100 representatives of the GOSS, communities, SSLA, CNPC, Total S.A, the Churches, civil society organisations, the academic community, and others. This is the final declaration of the Conference with specific recommendations to the GOSS for immediate and decisive action.

The SAF and the SPLA signed a framework agreement on securing oilfields and related infrastructure in the South. The JIUs will continue in accordance with the current security arrangements for the purposes of protecting the oilfields, companies and their employees as well as boosting the security situation in the region before and after the South Sudan referendum.

Sudan generated 357.36 million US dollars in oil revenues for the month of October 2010.

Sudan has generated 357.36 million US dollars in oil revenues for the month of October, the Ministry of Finance and National Economy revealed on Sunday.
The under-secretary at the ministry, Mustafa Hawli, said that the share of the semi-autonomous region of South Sudan in oil revenues for October is $140.56 million while that of the national government in Khartoum is $209.41 million.

Sudan will add 30,000 barrels per day of crude with a new oilfield in the north, hiking its total production to 500,000 bpd, an official said. Sudan’s economy is heavily dependent on crude and the south — where most of the oil is located — is hurtling towards independence in a January 9 referendum on secession as part of a 2005 peace deal ending Africa’s longest north-south civil war.