Map showing the route of South Sudan crude oil pipeline through Sudan. (Courtesy).

A rupture in an oil pipeline via Sudan has been repaired but waxy substances due the delays and insecurity have hindered its reopening, according to the  Undersecretary in the Ministry of Petroleum.

Dr. William Anyang said the pipeline was halted in February this year due to the war in Sudan.

He said the rupture in pump station three has now been restored, but it caused some jellying along the pipeline.

Dr. Anyang said both Juba and Khartoum are working closely to reopen the SPOC’s pipeline, which passes from Ruweng to Bentiu and then to Sudan.

“What has happened on February 6^th is that there was that a rupture in one of the points especially along an area called three stations which has made it very difficult.

“The rapture has been restored and repaired but now it has caused some jellying along the pipeline and for you to dejell or to remove the wax in the pipeline you have to  push it or drain it out by putting hot water or pumping water or diesel at least to restore the places.

“The pipeline is about 1000 or 400 kilometers which is starting from Jebellen. This pipeline runs through more than six stations.

However, accessibility remains a challenge due to the insecurity.

Dr Anyang added that President Kiir has directed his Security Affairs Advisor Tut Gatluak to engage with Sudan warring parties to grant freedom to the oil company operators to work.

” (In) all of those areas , we were ready to mobilize team inside but the level of the escalation has increased and it has impacted our province on those issues, that’s why His Excellence the President directed the advisor to come in and engage all the warring parties  to allow our engineers to be on ground to resolve those issues.

“On the technical level, the Minister of Petroleum in South Sudan and Ministry of Energy and Petroleum in South Sudan and the oil companies especially the oil transporting companies like Bashair or Bako in Sudan and the rest, are  engaging on a technical level.

“On the technical level, we don’t have a problem but on a security level where by the accessibility from  one point to another point (is difficult) because of war.”