COVID-19 pandemic disrupts oil production in South Sudan

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced oil workers in South Sudan's oil fields to work in rotational shifts . Photo/File

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced oil workers in South Sudan's oil fields to work in rotational shifts as precautionary measures to prevent infections, thus slowing down production, an official said on Wednesday.

Pakwan George Kulang, director of SIPET Engineering and Consultancy Services Company Limited (SPECS), a subsidiary of state-owned Nile Petroleum Corporation (Nilepet), said their technical workers and engineers are working on a rotational basis due to COVID-19 pandemic.

"We are now rotating workers and if they are two, one will come to work for one week and thereafter another," Kulang told Xinhua in Juba.

He disclosed that some of the oil expatriates went back to their countries and they couldn't come back on time amid the pandemic.

Kulang added that the available oil expatriates residing in the capital have opted to work in shifts for fear of contracting COVID-19.

Awow Daniel Chuang, undersecretary in the ministry of petroleum, recently disclosed that oil production plummeted to 170,000 barrels a day (bpd) from 190,000 bpd due to global economic slowdown caused by COVID-19.

SIPET was established in August 2012, to act as the commercial arm of Nilepet.

It operates in partnership with China's SIPAIKE Project Management Consultancy Services Company Limited in offering engineering services, design of the oil and gas facilities like the pumps, pipelines and oil wells, surface and production facilities.

Kulang said that they have received support from the high-level taskforce on COVID-19, which offered testing kits to ensure workers are tested for COVID-19, whenever they travel to the oil fields.

"The testing for COVID-19 takes only three days and now we can rotate our people smoothly," said Kulang.

However, he conceded that they are facing difficulty in transporting "long lead items" from outside South Sudan.

"When you need oil items you have to first call the manufacturer. To send this equipment now to South Sudan is costly because of COVID-19," said Kulang.

Nilepet has 173 nationals in the oil fields, 31 engineers running project management and consultancy, and 63 technicians running operation and management.

Nilepet also has engineers and technicians in Manga oil field who are doing procurement, construction and commissioning.

Kulang revealed that despite the ongoing challenges, SIPET played a key role in reinstating oil production after it had been disrupted by the conflict.