Sudan’s Oil Minister visits China to discuss increasing production in the country

SudaneseOnline-Sudanese Oil Minister, Mohammed Awad Makkawi, has kicked off a visit to China to discuss increasing oil production in the country and to bring the advanced technology by Chinese companies.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Oil, Mohamed Zaid Awad, said in statements to the state-run Sudanese Media Center (SMC) on Friday that purpose of the visit is to discuss the areas of joint cooperation between the two countries, explaining that the surveys confirmed presence of large quantities of oil in the country.
The minster stressed that his Ministry is making intensive efforts with foreign companies operating in the oil to provide appropriate and good potential for extraction of oil , revealing that there are now (7) oil wells in the country
Chinese companies dominate the oil sector in both Sudan and South Sudan, and Sudan is had been one of China’s top foreign suppliers of crude oil. Sudan has recently awarded nine exploration blocks to consortia formed by companies from Canada, Brazil and the Middle East.
Sudan is also conducting oil exploration activities in Block 12B southeast of the western region of Darfur, the scene of a nine year conflict between the government and rebel groups. Darfur block will be operated by China’s PetroEnergy.
Sudan’s oil production slumped to 120,000 barrels after the East African country lost three quarters of its previous production figure to South Sudan when the latter seceded to form an independent state in July last year. Land-locked South Sudan halted oil production in January this year following a bitter row with Sudan over transit fees.