Sudan has experienced a dramatic contraction in oil production since the separation of South Sudan in 2011, according to the country’s finance minister. The loss of key oilfields following the split significantly altered Sudan’s energy landscape and export capacity.
Speaking at the Russian Energy Week in Moscow, Finance Minister Gibril Ibrahim outlined the scale of the decline and its long-term economic consequences.
Production collapse after independence
Before South Sudan became independent from Sudan, daily oil production stood at roughly 500,000 barrels. Following the division, output fell sharply to below 30,000 barrels per day as most productive reserves ended up within South Sudan’s territory.
The minister noted that proven reserves previously estimated at around 5 billion barrels were reduced to approximately 1.5 billion barrels after the partition. The shift significantly weakened Sudan’s export revenues and fiscal stability.
Data from the International Energy Agency indicates that Sudan’s crude exports declined by 84 percent between 2000 and 2023, reflecting both the territorial split and broader structural challenges.
Prospects for recovery through partnerships
Despite the steep drop, Sudan sees potential for gradual recovery. Officials estimate that production could climb to as much as 180,000 barrels per day if the country secures collaboration with international partners capable of providing advanced extraction technology.
Meanwhile, the interdependence between the two nations remains strong. Although South Sudan controls the majority of former unified reserves, it relies on Sudan’s infrastructure to move crude to global markets. Pipelines running northward connect oilfields to export facilities at Port Sudan on the Red Sea.
Ongoing conflict within Sudan has posed risks to this arrangement, threatening transit routes and revenue streams for both countries. In response, the two governments recently reached an agreement aimed at safeguarding critical energy infrastructure, including the pipelines essential for South Sudan’s oil exports.
