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Rulers confirm White Nile's oil claim

Published:
2005-03-29
Author:
Steve Hawkes
Source:
Evening Standard
City/Country:
London

A TOP government official in south Sudan has ruled out any possibility of French energy giant Total regaining its right to a huge oil block claimed by White Nile, the Aim-listed shell company set up by former England cricketer Phil Edmonds.

 

Costello Garang Ring, foreign commissioner of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), the force behind south Sudan's provisional ruling authority, said: "The agreement that we have with White Nile will be respected.

 

'People say Total has (exploration) blocks, but they are in France, they are not in Sudan.'

 

He said Shell was one of a string of Western majors that contacted the SPLM as the 9 January peace agreement between Khartoum and his party takes effect.

 

The peace deal hands the SPLM control over a huge tract of the country and a population of more than 10m. It is planning a railway system with a German consortium, a mobile phone network and its own currency.

 

Garang Ring's comments will be a major boost for White Nile's backers, who are battling to convince the City of the company's potential. White Nile shares are due to re-list next Wednesday after suspension of more than a month. The company has been awarded a concession by the SPLM on 67,000 sq km previously awarded to Total.

 

Garang Ring first met Edmonds' business partner Andrew Groves two years ago. As revealed by the Evening Standard last month, White Nile believes it could have up to five billion barrels of oil in its exploration zone. The SPLM plans to export some of the oil produced via a new pipeline to Mombasa.