Ministry will double oil output

Sudanese Secretary-General of the Ministry of Energy and Mining announced on 12 August, that Sudan planned to more than double oil production by the end of 2005, according to the official Sudanese News Agency (SUNA). Hasan Muhammad Ali al-Tawm was quoted by SUNA as saying the ministry intended to “intensify oil exploration work” and increase production from about 200,000 barrels per day to 450,000 barrels per day over the next four to five years. Speaking at a conference of the ruling National Congress party, Al-Tawm said the government was also trying to attract investors to explore for oil in central, north, eastern and western Sudan. Oil operations in the south - carried out by a consortium of foreign oil companies - have been severely criticised by human rights groups, who allege Sudanese government forces have committed human rights abuses and forcibly depopulated concession areas to make way for production. The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army has repeatedly accused foreign oil companies operating in southern Sudan of collaborating with the Sudanese government, and warned that they were “legitimate targets” in the country’s 18-year civil war. The rebel movement claimed on 7 August to have attacked oil installations in central Sudan, causing oil extraction at the Heglig (Hajlij) fields to be stopped. The claims have been denied by the both Sudanese government army and Canadian oil company, Talisman, operating in Heglig.