Former Energy Minister Warns of Halt in Heglig Oil Pumping
Sudan Events – Rehab Abdullah
Former Minister of Energy and Mining, Geologist Adel Ali Ibrahim, warned of the grave consequences should Sudanese oil company Petco halt production at the Heglig oilfield.
He told Al-Ahdath: “I reviewed the statement issued two days ago by Petco’s director, which indicates the company is preparing to suspend crude pumping soon if the security threats continue. This would be yet another disaster on top of the many already caused by the war.”
Commenting on the renewed militia attacks on Heglig, Ibrahim stressed that Sudan remains in a state of war, which inevitably undermines security and stability for major strategic projects, leaving vital infrastructure vulnerable and uncertain in terms of continuity.
He emphasized that Heglig is one of the country’s most important hubs for crude oil production and transportation. The field not only processes South Sudan’s crude but also combines it with Heglig’s output before being pumped through the well-known pipeline to the Al-Jaili refinery and then to Port Sudan.
Ibrahim underlined that most of the crude from Heglig belongs to South Sudan and its partner companies, with Sudan receiving only a smaller share. He further noted that the Al-Jaili refinery is no longer operational due to war damage. While Sudan’s government in Port Sudan had benefited from foreign exchange revenues through crude exports from Heglig, South Sudan and its partners, bound by prior supply contracts, now face severe repercussions from this disruption.
