Minister visits oil fields

Al-Jaz: We are increasing production Khartoum - Abedalgoum Ashmeag Sudan’s Oil Minister Awad al-Jaz visited oil fields near the border with South Sudan, on Tuesday. The Sudanese minister said that the government is focused on developing oil projects with a planned increase in production over the coming months. He called for cooperation between technicians, engineers and governmental troops to protect oil fields and increase its production. The visit came after reports that armed groups were setting up base near the oil fields in Heglig, an area was attacked by South Sudanese troops in April 2012. Al-Jaz also met military officials working to secure the oil fields and thanked them for their efforts. Sudan lost 75 percent of its oil production after the independence of South Sudan, while talks between the two countries failed to settle their dispute about the fees to pass South Sudan’s oil through Sudan’s territories.