South Africa Invited Bids for South Sudan Oil Survey
The South African National Petroleum Company seeks a contractor to map 1,700 square kilometres of territory.
Updated on Oct. 10, 2026 in Oil and Gas
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The South African National Petroleum Company has issued a request for proposals to conduct a terrain survey of Block B2 in South Sudan. The project aims to map 1,700 square kilometres in the Bor-Twic region to prepare for future seismic exploration.
Why it matters
The survey is a critical step in identifying potential oil-bearing rock layers, moving the project closer to its eventual appraisal phase. The development marks a significant push to restart efforts that were paused for three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The project holds a 90% stake for the Strategic Fuel Fund and a 10% stake for Nile Petroleum. Approximately R330 million has been invested in the block to date, covering 1,700 square kilometres.
The players
South African National Petroleum Company
This entity is the primary state-owned organization overseeing the development and implementation of the Block B2 survey project.
Strategic Fuel Fund
The agency serves as the majority shareholder for the project, holding a 90% stake in the oil exploration block.
Nile Petroleum
This is the South Sudanese state-owned oil firm that maintains a 10% minority stake in the exploration block.
Cyril Ramaphosa
He is the President of South Africa who met with leadership to discuss the ongoing regional energy partnership.
Salva Kiir
He is the President of South Sudan who participated in high-level talks regarding the development of national resources.
The details
The terrain survey utilizes satellite imagery and ground checks along the Pibor highway to document the landscape. This effort follows a formal recognition of project delays as force majeure after the global health crisis halted operations.
Timeline
September 30, 2026: Request for proposals issued on national portal
October 7, 2026: Presidents Ramaphosa and Kiir met in Pretoria
October 9, 2026: Compulsory online bidder briefing held
October 21, 2026: Deadline for submission of project proposals
December 2026: Scheduled elections in South Sudan
Market Landscape
This project represents a strategic effort to reactivate stalled energy initiatives following the three-year Covid-19 pandemic project pause. It positions the Strategic Fuel Fund to potentially secure long-term oil-bearing assets despite the region's complex political environment.
For investors and industry stakeholders, the move signals a potential acceleration in regional energy production timelines. However, the impact on average consumers remains distant as the project is still in the early stages of terrain mapping.
The takeaway
Large-scale energy infrastructure projects often face long timelines and vulnerability to global disruptions. Stakeholders should monitor both the contract award and the upcoming election results to gauge the stability of the project's future environment.
What happens next
Proposals for the survey project are due by October 21, 2026, followed by the nation's scheduled elections in December 2026.
Further reading
Learn more about international energy developments in the Oil and Gas section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Rio Times.
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