South Sudan's oil moving to export hub

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KHARTOUM, Sudan, May 8 (UPI) -- Sudanese Oil Minister Awaz Ahmed al-Jaz said South Sudanese oil arrived at a treatment facility headed for an export hub at Port Sudan.

"The minister has called on the company's administration and employees to mobilize their energies for implementing the program sponsored by the Ministry of Oil for increasing the oil production and to get aware about all aspects of the petroleum industry," the government said in a statement.

South Sudan gained control over the bulk of the region's oil reserves when it gained independence from Sudan in 2011. Sudan controls the export pipelines, however, and disputes over transit fees prompted the South Sudanese government to halt oil production last year.

An agreement to resume oil flow between the countries came as the result of multilateral negotiations in Ethiopia. Disputes over the Heglig oil field nearly pushed the countries to war last year.

Jaz said he appreciated the work of military forces in securing oil production continues in the region.

South Sudan gets nearly all of its revenue from oil.