By Oladimeji Abitogun
The oil and power conference in South Sudan, attended by more than 750 delegates have been applauded as a huge step
in consolidating peace and stability in the beleaguered East African country.
The African energy chamber, in a statement issued in JUBA, South Sudan, expressed satisfaction and encouragement at the success of South Sudan oil and power 2018 conference, attended by participants representing upstream, mid-stream and down-stream sectors of the oil industry chiefly from Africa, Europe, North America and Middle East.
Ministerial delegations came from many countries including Equatorial Guinea, Sudan, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Russia, Uganda, etc. The African energy chamber described the success of South Sudan’s increased attractiveness for African and international investors as the East-African nation to ensure a stable peace and has doubled efforts to ramp up production and drill more wells.
“The presence of several international oil companies in JUBA this week is very encouraging and shows that South Sudan is doing its best to restore the trust of the international investment community and should be encouraged by all parties,” declared Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk from Juba.
The Chamber supported South Sudan’s efforts to build a lasting peace, which resulted in a new peace agreement signed last month between rival factions. “The local and international oil community has an obligation to support both peace talks and the South Sudanese leadership to promote peace and reconciliation. We also call on the government to continue its efforts in encouraging an enabling environment, promoting local content and prioritizing the role of women in the oil sector” said NJ Ayuk.
Hitherto estranged politicians had the opportunity of rare encounters President Salva Kiir met with Azhari Abdel-Gadir Abdalla, Minister of Petroleum and Minerals of the Republic of Sudan; Gabriel Obiang Lima, Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea; Lokeris Peter, Minister of State for Energy and Minerals Development, Republic of Uganda; and Mahaman Gaya, Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) to encourage collaboration on oil and gas matters.
President Kiir and the Minister of Petroleum of South Sudan, Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth’s continuous efforts to work with other Africans, OPEC and Non-OPEC nations in balancing and stabilizing the oil market was described as encouraging to members as everyone worked to prevent another supply glut in the oil sector.
The Chamber indicated willingness to continue to support all efforts to balance the oil markets including trimming supplies saying it was good for African producers, its citizens and the investors.
South Sudan remains under-explored, despite being East Africa’s oldest and biggest oil producing nation. Although, production is being ramped up, South Sudan’s latest oil & gas entrant, Oranto Petroleum, started exploration on Block B3 a year ago.