Expect the unexpected from Sudan and South Sudan
Stability in South Sudan could raise production much higher than was agreed with Opec
For a small-scale oil producer, South Sudan could do a lot of damage to Opec's efforts to curtail supply. Neither South Sudan nor its northern neighbour Sudan, is a member of the group-although before the former gained independence in 2011 the unified country applied to join. Now they get their chance, in spirit anyway. As part of the deal with Opec, Sudan agreed to a 4,000-barrels-a-day reduction and South Sudan to cut 8,000 b/d. Complicating the situation is the fractious relationship between the neighbours, and South Sudan's impoverished economy. It depends on oil-a source of revenue heavily reduced by factional ethnic violence, which has caused most production to be shut in, reducing exp
Also in this section
9 January 2026
The Latin American producer’s crude prospects rely on a multi-pronged approach where even the relatively easy wins will take considerable time, effort and cost
9 January 2026
While many forecasters are reasserting the importance of oil and gas, petrostates should be under no illusion things are changing, and faster than they might think
8 January 2026
Indonesia and Malaysia are at the dawn of breathtaking digital capabilities. Their energy infrastructure must keep up with their ambitions
8 January 2026
The next five years will be critical for the North Sea, and it will be policy not geology that will decide the basin’s future
