Khartoum, December 8 (Darfur24)
The China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), a state-owned energy company, has asked Sudan’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum to terminate its partnership in the production-sharing agreement and crude oil pipeline for Block 6 in West Kordofan.
Block 6 is operated by PetroEnergy, a joint venture between CNPC and Sudapet, the national oil company owned by the Ministry of Petroleum. Sudan had granted CNPC the rights to explore, produce, and market crude from the Block 6 concession.
In a letter addressed to the Ministry, CNPC requested a meeting in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, to discuss early termination of the production-sharing and pipeline agreements. The company proposed that the termination take effect no later than December 31, 2025.
The company noted that its cooperation with Sudan began in 1995, leading to the discovery of several oil fields. However, operations deteriorated sharply after the outbreak of armed conflict on April 15, 2023, which forced the evacuation of its Khartoum headquarters and the relocation of staff to temporary offices in Port Sudan and Beijing.
According to CNPC, Block 6 has faced persistent sabotage, theft, and blockades. PetroEnergy managed to keep minimal production running until October 30, 2023, when a security threat at Balila Airport forced a complete shutdown. Subsequent attacks caused extensive damage to vital facilities.
The company said attempts to resume production—including establishing a new security mechanism, securing alternative supply routes, and redeploying employees to the eastern fields—were unsuccessful.
“It has become increasingly clear that resuming production in Block 6 is simply not possible unless the armed conflicts cease,” CNPC said, describing the request for early termination as an unavoidable decision made under “compelling circumstances.”