• Oil production is set to relaunch in blocks 1, 2 and 4 with a ceremony on August 25, 2018, at Toma South
•  The licences are operated by South Sudanese joint operating company Greater Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC)
•  Fields where production is to resume include: Toma South, El Mar, El Toor, Manga and Unity.

Juba, 23 August 2018 — Intensive preparations for oil production resumption will culminate on August 25 at Toma South, South Sudan, with the relaunch of production from blocks 1, 2 and 4. The resumption of oil production at these licences marks a historic collaboration between South Sudan and Sudan, and will be a key moment in South Sudan’s economic progress.

The Ministry of Petroleum of South Sudan and Greater Pioner Operating Company (GPOC), with the support of 2B Operating Company (2B OPCO) of Sudan and technical teams from the Ministry of Petroleum and Gas of Sudan have been working on the ground for the past month to rehabilitate facilities and ensure security. Following a series of visits by Hon. Minister of Petroleum of South Sudan Amb. Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth and H.E. Eng. Azhari A. Abdalla, Minister of Petroleum and Gas of Sudan, with direct supervision from H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardiit, President of South Sudan, the GPOC-operated site is ready to resume operations. H.E. First Vice President Gen. Taban Deng Gai will officiate at the launch ceremony on August 25, 2018.

With this announcement, blocks 1, 2 and 4 are now fully operational, starting with 45,000 barrels per day of production at Toma South. This will be followed by El Nar, El Toor, Manga and Unity oilfields, while the ministries work to uncap Sudd Petroleum Operating Company’s block 5A and resume production by the end of 2018. The Ministry of Petroleum of the Republic of South Sudan and the Ministry of Petroleum and Gas of the Republic of Sudan will be working to resolve remaining technical issues on block 5A in the coming months.

Hon. Amb. Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth stated: “South Sudan’s recovery and march to prosperity is firmly underway, and we are working hand in hand with our neighbors in Sudan to achieve production resumption at key oilfields. We commit to building on the achievements at Toma South and bring our petroleum industry to full strength as quickly as possible.”

The Minister of Petroleum will speak at the Africa Oil & Power 2018 conference in Cape Town on September 5-7, where he will update investors on the latest developments. On November 21-22, 2018, Juba will host the South Sudan Oil & Power conference, where the Minister of Petroleum and Minister of Energy and Dams will present investment opportunities in the country.