MOSCOW, Oct 12 South Sudan would like to build an oil pipeline with Russian participation with access to the sea, which would become an alternative to the pipeline running through Sudan, said the country’s Deputy Minister of the Oil Industry, Maien Wol Jong Maien, at the Russian Energy Week.
«For us, the problem is that we do not have access to the sea. This concerns, first of all, the production of crude oil. Its export is carried out through Sudan. Sudan is now in a state of war,» he said during the session «Russia – Africa: prospects for cooperation in the field of energy.»
According to him, the pipeline to the port of Sudan «is now literally on fire.»
«Absolutely every day we are trying to find new solutions and obtain export permits… We need support from Russian companies in order to help build an alternative pipeline that will allow us to go to Djibouti. We believe that such an oil pipeline could be the solution to the situation,” the official added.
According to him, if the only existing oil pipeline stops working, then South Sudan will face a serious problem — it will not be able to export crude oil abroad and receive funds.
In addition, the deputy minister added, South Sudan needs a more powerful oil refinery, noting that the country needs the support of Russian companies.