Sudan has initiated a shutdown of the Heglig oil facility following drone attacks blamed on the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The facility, located along Sudan’s southern border, houses the main processing facility for South Sudanese oil, which accounts for the majority of South Sudan’s government revenues.
According to a letter from the Sudanese government to its South Sudanese neighbor, the drone attacks on August 26 and 30 led to the shutdown due to security concerns.
The Sudanese energy ministry instructed the Sudanese companies operating in the area, 2B OPCO and PETCO, to evacuate, citing the risk of long-term damage to operations. PETCO confirmed it would not meet its lifting schedule.
The shutdown disrupts the flow of South Sudanese oil to Sudan, which previously received between 100,000 and 150,000 barrels of oil per day for further exports.
This development poses a significant risk to South Sudan’s fragile economy, which relies heavily on oil exports.
The shutdown could cut off vital revenues, stall salaries for civil servants, and impact social services, potentially destabilizing the country ahead of its long-delayed elections scheduled for December 2025.
