South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Awan Achiek
Bentiu oil refinery in Unity State is expected to be operational in December 2024, according to Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro, the Minister of Presidential Affairs.
The refinery built with a capacity to refine 10,000 barrels per day (bpd), is a joint venture of Russia’s Safinat and the state-owned Nile Petroleum Corporation Limited (NILEPET).
“Within eight months from today, the refinery will be operational and the road will be constructed and fuel will be abundant in the market,”Bakosoro said during a visit to Bentiu town on Saturday.
“We have seen the refinery and it needs some rehabilitation, it requires some amount of money of about $35 million to complete so that we have fuel locally made in the market of South Sudan and also to be able to sell to the neighboring countries,” he disclosed.
Bakasoro said the project upon completion will provide job opportunities to the locals.
“We are looking at the benefit of this project on the civil population of this area. Most of them will be employed and the communities will have schools and hospitals,” he said.
“But there is one thing I would appeal to oil companies, please, because of pollution, you provide water to the communities, you build clean water yards to prevent pollution and sickness,” Bakasoro said.
Dr. Joseph Monytuil, the Governor of Unity State said the visit of the high-level delegation from Juba, aimed to seek ways to speed up the process of operationalization of the refinery.
“They came to Bentiu refinery today to inspect the work that has been going on and to inspect the status of the refinery, and how best we can speed up the process of the project,” Monytuil said.
Monytuil stressed the need for essential services such as health, schools and clean water and road connectivity in the State.
“It is one of the very important projects for the country, we had a very good discussion and we also asked about the services that will be delivered to the people around the refinery in terms of essential services,” he said.
Eng. Bernard Amour, Managing Director of Nile Petroleum Corporation Limited, said they are working hard to improve revenues through building oil refineries.
“I am bringing this delegation to have a first-hand look into what we have and what we need to build on, and how we address the current economic challenges in the country. The oil refinery will be one of the solutions for us to have a strong economy,” Amour said.
He said the crisis in Sudan has affected export of crude oil, which finances nearly 95 percent of the annual fiscal budget.
“The crisis in Sudan is also very alarming for us in terms of export, and so we are trying to refocus all our energy and attention to make sure that we realize the refinery, even though it produces 3000 barrels per day is better than nothing,” Amour said.
The refinery was built at a cost of $100 million. It is one of the five refineries the government plans to establish to boost value addition to oil products.
