The Upper Nile State, Petroleum and Mining Minster Hon. Francis Ayul says some oil workers have been evacuated from Adar petroleum site in Paloich.
By Jok P Mayom
Pipelines criss-cross at the Paloch oil field in South Sudan on Sunday, May 5, 2013, when production resumed at the facility after a 16-month break.
JUBA, 19 February 2014 [] – Hon. Ayul said some oil workers from Adar in Paloich have already been evacuated to Juba as fear grips workers there again. “I think they fear because of a report that that the oil field will be attacked on the 21st which is tomorrow,” said Ayul.
“We have forces in the oil field around Paloich, Adar, Guel-guk, and within Paloich center. The rebels will not attempt.”
However Gurtong could not independently confirm the evacuation of oil workers from Adar as the National Petroleum ministry spokesperson’s phone contact could not go through on Wednesday afternoon.
The minister told Gurtong on Wednesday that the ‘gallant SPLA’ forces are determined to defend the oil field which he said is the backbone of the country.
The oil field in Upper Nile State is located in Paloich in Meluth County, of the Malakal. He said oil production has been ongoing normally since the start of the violence in the country from mid December last year.
Upper Nile State has been producing oil normally even when rebels disturbed the production in Bentiu of Unity State. The rebels attacked Upper Nile’s state capital on Tuesday penetrating the town from the eastern part and they now control central part of Malakal.
The rebels had claimed recapture of Malakal town but the Juba government denies it but admits they share the control of the town.
