South Sudan is a significant oil producer with estimated oil reserves of 1.5 billion barrels , some fields have reached maturity and other fields have considerable reserves yet to be explored that may contain additional reserves.
Current production:
- Blocks 1,2 and 4 (the Heglig & Unity fields): operated by JV between CNPC, Petronas, ONGC and Nilepet produces c. 100,000 bbl/d of Nile Blend
- Blocks 3 and 7 (the Adar Yale, Palogue and Qamari fields) operated by JV between CNPC, Petronas, Nilepet, Sinopec and Tri-Ocean Energy produces c.250,000 bbl/d of Dar blend
- Block 5a (Thar Jath and Mala fields): operated by JV between Petronas, ONGC and Nilepet; produces c. 25,000 bbl/d of Nile Blend
Additional investment opportunities exist in:
- Block B: licensed to Total; consortium is seeking partner to replace Marathon Oil
- Block 5B: under exploration by Nilepet, Petronas and Ascom; seeking additional partners
- Block EA: NPC recently mapped out this new block which runs along existingfields in the Muglad Basin
- Block A: seeking additional partner
Demand
Current demand for petroleum products in South Sudan estimated at 20,000 barrels per day; expected to grow rapidly with post-independence economic growth and investment
There is also the potential to supply landlocked regions of neighbouring countries: CAR, DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda
The Government is therefore seeking investors to develop refining capacity in South Sudan
To facilitate future oil exports the government is seeking investors to build additional pipelines to the coast
Toyota Tshusho recently submitted a proposal to design and construct a 2050km oil pipeline from South Sudan to the new port planned for Lamu on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast
Alternative proposals include:
A 1,600 km approximately pipeline through Ethiopia to Djibouti
A shorter 800km pipeline to Uganda, connecting to the proposed pipeline expected to carry Ugandan
crude to Mombasa