2013

Sudan's army blames rebels backed by South Sudan for explosion and fire in Sudanese oil pipeline in disputed Abyei area.

President Salva Kiir on Wednesday confirmed the decision taken by Khartoum to block transportation of oil produced by his country, adding he was willing to engage in peaceful dialogue to promote better relations.

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Monday said he would refer oil arguments with neighbouring Sudan to African Union mediators, vowing not to take the country back to war.

Sudan may reverse its decision to close cross-border oil flows from South Sudan if its neighbour stops its alleged support for rebels, Sudan's Information Minister said on Sunday.

President Al-Bashir on 8 June ordered oil minister Awad al-Jaz to block the pipeline carrying South Sudan’s crude. Bashir said this decision was in response to Juba’s continued support to the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) rebels fighting Khartoum on multiple fronts.

Total is bringing in ExxonMobil and Kufpec into parts B1 and B2 of the divided block B. The government has yet to come to a decision on who will explore B3.

Late last year the government of South Sudan was rumored to be dividing Block B up into three separate blocks (Block B1, B2, and B3) and bringing in two other companies next to Total, namely US supermajor ExxonMobil and Kuwait’s state-run firm Kufpec. Total has preempted the move by bringing the two into its portion of the divided block itself.

President Omer Al-Bashir on Monday called upon South Sudan to implement cooperation agreement and warned that supporting rebels will lead to stop oil flow for the international market.

ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL), the overseas investment arm of state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), has resumed crude oil production from its oilfields in Sudan, the Indian Times reported.

ASCOM, a Moldovan oil and construction firm operating in Jonglei state, has resumed repair of the Bor-Twic East dike after pulling out in mid-May, following the capture of Boma and worsening insecurity in the region.