Total Gears Up for Sudan Oil Drill

by Alain Navarro KHARTOUM, July 3, 2008 (AFP) - French oil giant Total is gearing up to drill for oil nearly 30 years after signing an agreement in southern Sudan but runs the risk of shedding investors unless it keeps sweet of US divestment law. "They have now set up the base camp and they are mobilising facilities," energy minister in semi-autonomous southern Sudan, John Luk, told AFP more than 20 years after Total froze oil exploration efforts because of civil war. Jean-Francois Lassalle, Total's vice president of public affairs, exploration and production, said land had been identified around Bor, state capital of Jonglei more than 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) south of Khartoum. "The security and line-up of the new consortium still have to be sorted out," Lassalle said. Total has a small camp of prefab buildings in Juba,... [read full story]