Joseph Edward, AfricaNews reporter in Juba, Sudan
Sudan has been accused by South Sudan of blocking crude oil from being exported. "Khartoum authority has prevented two ships from leaving the port carrying 1.6 million barrels of Dar blend originating from south Sudan and preventing one additional vessels to load 0.6 million barrels of South Sudan Dar blend, and it has also prevented two other ships from entering the port of Sudan to take possession of 1.2 million barrels of Nile blend purchased from South Sudan," South Sudan's minister of petroleum and mining, Stephen Dhieu said.
The minister said that the government of Khartoum has decided to once again to steal crude oil from the republic of South Sudan, rather than view a new year as an opportunity for renewed cooperation.
He said that the government of Sudan has ordered the foreign oil companies to divert all south Sudan’s Nile blend crude oil entitlements for December to the Khartoum and El Obeid refineries; Khartoum ordered 550,000 barrels of south Sudan Dar blends crude oil entitlement for December to be delivered to a Sudan buyer; adding that Khartoum has started construction of a new pipeline between the petrodar pipeline and Khartoum refinery designed to permanent divert 13 percent Dar blend to boast the revenue and economy.
Dhieu said that the government of South Sudan has denounced the unilateral acts by the government of Sudan, and that any diversion of its oil without its consent is nothing less than theft and preventing loaded ships within South Sudan crude oil from leaving the port is unlawful and that Khartoum act is a violation of the international laws and norms.
Addressing the press, Dhieu appealed to the oil companies which are responsible operators’ transporters and custodians of South Sudan oil have properly refused Sudan’s to divert our oil. He also reminded Khartoum that the 1.6 million barrels of Dar blend, now loaded on to the ship, no longer belong to South Sudan.
The Minister said that the shipper and the purchaser are now pursuing legal actions against Sudan. He said that all penalties and damages resulting from the illegal taking of oil and disrupting and delay in the shipping schedules will undoubted be borne by the people of Sudan who took no part in the ill advised decisions taken by Khartoum government.
He said that South Sudan it is not clear what illicit plans Khartoum had for the oil it had ordered for diversion to its domestic refineries.
He said that perhaps Khartoum has planned to sell south Sudan refined oil to a third party or Khartoum attempt is to steal oil by redirecting it to its own refinery instead selling its own crude on the world market.
He said that government of South Sudan will take legal actions against anyone who purchases Sudan’s crude while South Sudan’s oil is being stolen at the same time the Government of Sudan and all those that benefit from such illegal acquisitions will find no refuge from South Sudan legal authorities and will enjoy no future business with the government of South Sudan.
He said that in light of the unilateral action, South Sudan has recalled that just weeks ago Khartoum rejected South Sudan’s generous offer to provide Sudan with 2.6 billion dollars of cash assistance and forgiveness of 2.8 billion of the debts and arrears Khartoum owes the people of South Sudan. And that in return for the offer of friendship and cooperation, Sudan is attempting to steal from south Sudan and disrupt its economy.
He described the Khartoum move as a disappointing step to coexistence of the two states, as South Sudan is already paying the pipeline operators significant fees to produce and transport its oil through Sudan.
He reiterated that Khartoum is spreading lies that the government of south Sudan is not paying for the use of the infrastructures in the government of Sudan, but that the foreign oil companies have now formally written to both governments to confirm that south Sudan is already being charged transportation fees and processing fees
Sudan has been accused by South Sudan of blocking crude oil from being exported. "Khartoum authority has prevented two ships from leaving the port carrying 1.6 million barrels of Dar blend originating from south Sudan and preventing one additional vessels to load 0.6 million barrels of South Sudan Dar blend, and it has also prevented two other ships from entering the port of Sudan to take possession of 1.2 million barrels of Nile blend purchased from South Sudan," South Sudan's minister of petroleum and mining, Stephen Dhieu said.
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