One of Unity oil fields in Unity state - Credit | Joakino Francis/Eye Radio | 12 October 2010

The Ministry of Petroleum is planning to increase oil production in South Sudan by strengthening its cooperation with the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), according to Undersecretary, Engineer Deng Lual.

The announcement follows a high-level meeting held over the weekend between the Ministry of Petroleum and CNPC in Beijing, China.

The two sides discussed plans to raise production in Blocks 1, 2, and 4 in Unity State, Blocks 3 and 7 in Upper Nile, and the Rueng Administrative Area.

During the meeting, CNPC pledged to provide resources and technology to help maximize production in these areas, in line with South Sudan’s development priorities.

“The meeting focused on advancing technical cooperation to increase oil production across key fields in South Sudan, in Unity State, Blocks 1, 2, and 4, and Ruweng Administrative Area, and Blocks 3 and 7 in Upper Nile State,” Undersecretary Deng Lual said on to state-run TV SSBC in Beijing over the weekend:

“The CNPC team reaffirmed its strong commitment to South Sudan’s petroleum sector and expressed readiness to mobilize resources and technology in alignment with our national priorities.”

According to Undersecretary Deng Lual, the two parties also agreed to form a technical committee to address bottlenecks and improve operations in the oil sector.

“Both sides engaged in constructive discussions focused on identifying viable strategies to enhance oil production from existing fields and improve operational efficiency, [with] special attention given to the field rehabilitation, capacity building for our national workforce, and the adoption of environmentally responsible practices,” said Eng. Lual.

“The Government of South Sudan remains committed to ensuring that our natural resources contribute to national development and economic stability.”

The government believes that strengthening collaboration with CNPC is a key step toward unlocking South Sudan’s petroleum potential and securing benefits for the country’s future development.