Around 90% of oil wells in Sudan’s East Darfur State have been severely damaged and vandalized, with copper and electrical wires stolen and some wells set on fire by unidentified individuals. This destruction has dealt a significant blow to the region’s oil production and raised concerns over environmental and economic impacts.
Since 2016, 23 out of 36 oil wells in the Shaq Omar area were operational, managed by Chinese firms Petro-Engine and Sharf. However, the recent acts of sabotage have left most of the wells unusable. Hussein Ahmed Hussein, director of the Jad Al-Sayed Administrative Unit in Abu Karinka Locality, described the devastation as a “great detriment to Sudan” in an interview with Radio Tamazuj and called for urgent measures to protect remaining wells and prevent oil leaks from pipelines.
Engineer Taha Al-Khidr, an oil expert, criticized the extraction methods used in the region, labeling them as unsustainable and harmful. He argued that these methods not only deplete oil reserves quickly but also disregard future generations’ right to benefit from the resource.
Al-Khidr also highlighted grievances among local communities, citing a lack of social responsibility by the oil companies. He noted that residents felt marginalized as companies employed workers from northern Sudan for basic roles like cleaning and security, while overlooking local youth.
The destruction of these oil wells has not only disrupted production but also underscored longstanding tensions between local communities and oil firms, further complicating Sudan’s already fragile situation.