By Yiep Joseph
As South Sudan and Sudan governments declared resumption of crude oil flow, sustainability of the development remains in question as conflict continues in Sudan.
Hoping to ensure that oil production kicks with sustainability measures in place, stakeholders gathered in Juba to lay strategies.
The three-day event that brought together officials from Sudan, South Sudan and oil companies, resolved resumption sustainable steps.
Meanwhile, Dr. Chol Deng Thon, Undersecretary in the Ministry of Petroleum, revealed that the stakeholders have agreed on the strategic resumption to achieve sustainable flow and transportation of crude oil.
“The workshop at the end was able to come up with agreements that were signed between all the parties and stakeholders, and they discussed how best resumption could be prioritized and expedited and also how to sustain production along the pipeline and the transportation of the crude from the Republic of South Sudan to the international market through the Republic of Sudan,” Chol said.
He added that the stakeholders in the oil sector agreed to assess oil facilities in Paloch and Jabaleen, a head of crude oil transportation.
According to Chol, in order to achieve a sustainable flow of oil and its transportation to the market, the stakeholders were able to agree on some terms.
“We discussed plans for the resumption to happen and that was to align all the plans that all the stakeholders had,” he said.
Chol intimated that the discussion was aimed at ensuring the safety of oil field workers and verifying the effectiveness of vital infrastructure, paving the way for renewed oil exports to the international market.
“The pipeline and the related facilities are ready for resumption to take place, so in just a matter of few days we will be able to realize resumption, and the people of the Republic of South Sudan and the Republic of Sudan will be able to enjoy the dividends of this work that has been done,” he said.
The Undersecretary said, the stakeholders also agreed to embark on the supervision of pipelines and other infrastructure in South Sudan.
“The workshop also came up with the resolution that all the parties will go to the field right after this workshop, so they will begin with Paloch, after which they will go to al-Jabaleen to check all the story facilities, the central processing facility, and all the related infrastructure to ensure that they are all ready,” he said.
Eng. Ibrahim Adam Yagoub, general manager of BAPCO, confirmed that most of the things meant for oil flow are ready, citing that soon the transportation to the international market would resume.
He reaffirmed his commitment to the resumption of oil flow.
Recently, South Sudan revealed the resumption of oil production in the country, citing that all the demand components and infrastructure were put in and ready.