Since losing around three-quarters of its near 450,000 b/d former oil output to the South in 2011, Sudan has been pushing hard to raise its oil production and refining capacity.

In December last year, Sudan announced the start-up of two new oil fields in the country’s south, increasing total production by around 22,000 b/d. Officially this was announced to have hiked the country’s output to between 136,000 b/d and 140,000 b/d, but sources put the figure closer to 127,000 b/d given the damage that was sustained by some key oil infrastructure in cross-border clashes early last year (MEES, 30 April 2012). (CONTINUED - 808 WORDS)