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NGO reports oil exploration in war-torn Darfur

(AFP) – 6 hours ago

KHARTOUM — Arab companies are drilling for oil in Darfur in apparent exploratory work that could help foster peace in the war-torn Sudanese region, independent monitors Global Witness said on Thursday.

"Satellite evidence obtained by campaign group Global Witness suggests an area in the far north of Darfur in Sudan is being explored for oil," the British-based group said in a statement received by AFP.

"Global Witness believes that oil wealth could provide an incentive for peace were the revenues to be equitably distributed," it added.

It said images it obtained "reveal that a grid of over 500 kilometres (310 miles) of straight lines, characteristic of seismic exploration, appeared in the northwest corner of Sudan?s oil exploration block 12A, near the Libyan border" between September last year and March.

A second set of satellite images "confirms the presence of a camp in this area with what appears to be 23 accommodation huts, nine four-wheel drive vehicles, and a small structure outside the walls that resembles a storage depot for explosives" often used for seismic exploration, it said.

Several firms have oil concessions in Darfur, and "block 12A" mentioned by Global Witness is the Great Sahara Petroleum Operating Company, a consortium of Saudi, Yemeni, Sudanese and Jordanian firms.

Darfur, an arid desert region, has been gripped by a civil war since 2003 that has killed 300,000 people and displaced another 2.7 million, according to the United Nations. Khartoum says 10,000 people have died.

Global Witness said peace talks between the Khartoum government and Darfur rebels due to resume next week in Qatar should "consider what would happen were oil to be discovered in Darfur" -- namely how to share the wealth.

"There is a precedent in Sudan for sharing oil as a basis for making peace," said Global Witness campaigner Dana Wilkins, referring to a 2005 peace deal that ended civil war between north and south Sudan.

"More than seven billion dollars of oil money has been transferred from Khartoum to Juba since 2005 and this has undoubtedly helped to keep the peace between north and south," said Wilkins.

"If there were significant reserves of oil in Darfur, there could be an opportunity for a similar wealth sharing arrangement there. Such an agreement would need to be verifiable by all sides, and that would require transparency in the management of the oil revenues." she added.

Sudan produces 500,000 barrels of oil per day, with about 400,000 barrels exported, mostly to China. Oil reserves are estimated at five billion barrels.
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