Image: HACOF
The fourth edition of South Sudan Oil & Power (SSOP) opened with informative keynotes by domestic and international Ministerial representatives. Under the theme, ‘Partnerships in Achieving the Petroleum Industry’, the fourth session of the dynamic program was opened with a presentation by Managing Director of South Sudan’s national oil & gas company, Nile Petroleum Corporation (Nilepet), Bol Ring Mourwel Kon. The presentation featured an enlightening address of the current projects and activities in the country, the value of partnerships in advancing South Sudan’s burgeoning oil and gas industry and the investment opportunities for international stakeholders in South Sudan.
Nilepet is an integrated petroleum company engaged in the extraction, transportation and retail of petroleum in upstream, midstream, and downstream activities and is one of the leading companies in South Sudan. Kon highlighted that the best way to explore the country’s potential is to provide opportunities to investors in the petroleum industry to help build South Sudan.
His presentation on Tuesday outlined the mandate and vision of the company, which included its business code of ethics, overall strategy, partnerships and opportunities. The presentation highlighted Nilepet’s steadfast dedication to the resilience of their operations, with Kon saying, “Our vision is [to be] a leading and competitive integrated oil and gas corporation of choice in South Sudan, operating with focus on profitability, environmental sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).” He added that Nilpet is working to ensure that its partners adhere to the company’s vision and work within the same framework, emphasizing their commitment to the environment and to the support of local communities to ensure that South Sudan and its people are uplifted from its current challenges.
By adhering to a culture of continuous improvement and by maintaining best business practices that are equitable, accountable, transparent, and fair, the company detailed its commitment to genuine and resilient partnerships which include the training of staff, adaptation to changing technologies and the safety of its employees.
Kon noted that, “South Sudan has vast oil reserves with a potential to be fully explored,” emphasizing the value and range of investment opportunities in South Sudan by including a breakdown of the company’s partnerships in three consortiums within the country’s oil producing blocks. Nilepet holds an 8% share in Blocks 3 and 7 with the other stakeholders being China’s National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) (41%) and Sinopec (6%), Malaysia’s PETRONAS (40%) and Egypt’s Tri-Ocean Energy (5%). Blocks 1,2 and 4 are operated by India’s ONGC (25%), CNPC (40%) and PETRONAS (30%) with Nilepet holding 5% shares. And finally, Block 5A, with the consortium of PETRONAS (67.8%), ONGC (24.2%) and Nilepet (8%). Nilepet also owns 10% of the awarded exploration Blocks B3, 5B and B2 along with Oranto, Ascom and the Strategic Fuel Fund (SFF), respectively.
Offering a detailed presentation of Nilepet’s joint ventures, Kon spoke enthusiastically regarding potential partnerships and opportunities for investors to buy shares in the company’s joint ventures, which includes areas of service such as project and operation management in the engineering and consultancy service company, SIPET, production optimization in the Nile Delta Petroleum Company Ltd., drilling and associated services in the petroleum drilling company, Nile Drilling and finally, logistics such as transportation of crude, refinery of products and storage, in the integrated oil and gas company Nile SLC. Nile Drilling has its remaining 10% of shares reserved for investors and Nile SLC has 49% of its shares reserved.
Kon closed off his presentation with insight into Nilepet’s Operatorship Vision 2027, which aims to explore and use South Sudan’s vast, untouched oil reserves by offering potential business opportunities for investments in various partnerships in South Sudan’s petroleum sector. Nilepet is working closely with the Ministry of Petroleum to incentivize investment in the country’s awarded, exploration and free Blocks as well as its four planned refineries in Paloch, Akon, Thiangrial and Pagak. Other opportune areas of investment and financing include South Sudan’s fuels and storage depots, liquefied petroleum gas projects, aviation and jet fuels, power plants, training and scientific research programs and environmental conservation.
South Sudan features vast resources that have yet to be fully explored and Nilepet’s commitment to working with the country’s Ministry of Petroleum and future investors highlights the company’s aim to unlock the country’s energy potential to build a better nation.