Sudan to cooperate with Russia on oil exploration – media

Energy agreements will reportedly include investigations at 20 oil wells in conflict-free zones

Sudan plans to sign industrial, commercial, and oil-related agreements, opting for Russian companies as an alternative to Western firms. The deals reportedly involve exploration of more than 20 oil wells in regions considered safe from the war underway in the country since April 2023.

Sudanese Oil and Gas Minister Mohi-Eddin Naeem Mohamed Saeed told the news agency Al-Araby Al-Jadeed on Saturday that his country had finalized energy and oil investment agreements with Russia, focusing on secure areas including the Red Sea region and western Sudan.

He indicated that the two parties had arranged a series of projects, including the enhancement of hydro and thermal generation at the Merowe dam to produce 120 barrels of fuel per day, and the completion of improvements at the Roseires and Sennar reservoirs. 

The plan also provides for Russian refineries to visit Sudan and initiate gas exploration in the east of the country, particularly around the Red Sea.

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The minister highlighted Russia’s involvement in the Red Sea region due to the availability of cutting-edge technology in the gas sector. He noted that Sudan had requested the dispatch of floating barges to the region to bolster electricity generation in Port Sudan. He said a joint team would soon be deployed to advance the agreements.

According to the news agency, Sudan formally presented Russia with 22 oil fields for exploration, offering them to companies such as Russian energy giants Rosneft and Gazprom.

The northeastern African country has been engulfed by conflict since mid-April 2023, pitting the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) following disagreements over the planned transition to civilian rule. Fighting, initially centered in the capital, has spread nationwide, sparking what the United Nations describes as the largest displacement crisis globally. 

Last month, UN reports highlighted that vulnerable groups – including 4.7 million children under five, pregnant women, and nursing mothers – face acute malnutrition as the conflict continues.

Meanwhile, Sudan has signed an agreement with Russian firm Power Machines to upgrade its hydropower infrastructure, the Sudanese energy and oil minister announced during a visit to Moscow last month. 

READ MORE: Sudan at stake: Will Egypt manage to bring the warring parties back to the negotiating table?

The deal includes the supply of new turbines for the Merowe hydroelectric plant, and the modernization of facilities at Roseires, Sennar, and Setit. Hydropower accounts for 70% of Sudan’s electricity production, and the upgrades aim to boost output across the country.