Russian oil companies have been given the go-ahead in principle to look for oil in eastern Sudan, a press report said Friday.
The independent Al Rai Al Aam daily quoted Sudanese Energy and Mining Minister Awad Ahmed al-Jaz as saying a memorandum of understanding has been reached with Russian companies granting those unnamed firms licenses to look for oil in two areas of the country which has an outlet to the Red Sea.
A final agreement will be concluded soon, the Minister said. The paper quoted an official of one of the Russian firms as saying his company had examined information and soil samples of the concession fields and would submit the results of the examinations this week.
In light of those results, the memorandum of understanding will be developed into a final agreement for prospection and exportation of oil in Sudan, the Russian official was quoted as saying by the daily.
Chinese National Petroleum Company (CNPC), Canadian Talisman and Malaysian Petronas are currently working on oil operations in south and southwest Sudan.—AFP.
©--Agence France Presse 2001.
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
