Sudan Halts Oil Production in Heglig After Drone Attacks

The Sudanese government has informed its counterpart in South Sudan that it has begun closing the Heglig oil facility following repeated attacks by drones, which have been attributed to the Rapid Support Forces.

Heglig, located near the southern border of Sudan, is the main processing station for South Sudan's oil, which constitutes the largest source of revenue for Juba, according to Reuters.

A formal letter from the Sudanese Ministry of Energy, dated August 30, indicated that drone attacks occurred on August 26 and 30, prompting Khartoum to halt the flow of oil and issue instructions to the companies operating in the area — T.O.B. Opco and Petrolines Limited (Petco) — to evacuate their facilities.

The letter confirmed that the continuation of the attacks represents a "serious threat to the stability of oil flows," and that Sudan is no longer able to manage operations there.

It is noted that the ongoing war since 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces has already disrupted South Sudan's oil exports, which ranged before the conflict between 100 and 150 thousand barrels per day.

So far, there has been no comment from the South Sudanese government or the two companies involved, while the Rapid Support Forces have not responded to requests for comment.