FILE PHOTO: Port Sudan is Sudan's principal maritime gateway, connecting the nation's trade and oil exports to the Middle East and the wider international market via the Red Sea. Courtesy

The newly appointed Undersecretary at the Ministry of Petroleum, Chol Deng, has confirmed that South Sudan’s oil is still flowing through Sudan, dismissing speculation that production or exports have been halted.

The clarification comes after the former Undersecretary of the Ministry of Petroleum informed President Salva Kiir in a letter that Sudanese authorities had notified them on October 24 to prepare for potential safe shutdowns due to recent drone attacks near oil facilities.

In his letter, Eng Deng Lual expressed gratitude for his appointment following his dismissal on Monday and highlighted the security situation in Sudan as a serious concern for South Sudan’s crude oil exports. He warned that any shutdowns would present critical challenges requiring careful management.

Speaking in Juba on Wednesday morning, Chol Deng assured the public that oil is still being exported.

“I can assure you that the oil is flowing to the marine terminal in both Block 1, 2, and 4. Block 5A, that’s Nile blend, and also Dar blend is flowing to the marine terminal in Sudan from Palouch,” he said.

“Let it rest well in our ears that oil is still flowing, because there has been a lot of misinformation that oil has been shut down. That is not true,” he added.

Chol Deng’s confirmation aims to calm market concerns and reaffirm the continuity of South Sudan’s oil exports despite regional security threats.