Sudan Suspends Khartoum Oil Refinery Operations over Technical Issues

  The Khartoum Refinery (SUNA)
The Khartoum Refinery (SUNA)
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Sudan Suspends Khartoum Oil Refinery Operations over Technical Issues

  The Khartoum Refinery (SUNA)
The Khartoum Refinery (SUNA)

The Khartoum Refinery went out of service due to a malfunction in one of its largest units that generates electricity, the Energy Ministry announced Wednesday.

This comes two weeks after completing the annual periodic maintenance, which took two months, amid fears that the malfunction will cause a fuel crisis.

“All operations at Khartoum Refinery units were halted in emergency over safety risks,” said Director-General of Khartoum Refinery Mahjoub Hassan Abdel Qader.

He affirmed that the facility will resume working as soon as possible, noting that the malfunction is minor and can be fixed.

The ministry has secured the fuel supply so that the consumer sectors in the country are not affected, he added.

Abdel Qader also denied rumors claiming that fire broke out, stressing that the refinery will operate again more efficiently within four days.

The refinery produces 70 percent of domestic fuel, 48 percent of gasoline and 50 percent of gas production for domestic consumption.

The production capacity of the refinery, after completing its maintenance in early March, amounted to 800 tons of gas, 3,000 tons of fuel and 5,000 tons of gasoline.



GASTAT: Saudi Non-Oil Exports Rose by 13.1% in 2024

General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) logo
General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) logo
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GASTAT: Saudi Non-Oil Exports Rose by 13.1% in 2024

General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) logo
General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) logo

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) said in the 2024 International Trade Statistics Bulletin that there was an 13.1% increase in non-oil exports (including re-exports) compared to 2023.

However, total merchandise exports declined by 4.5% year-on-year, while imports rose by 12.5% in 2024.

According to the bulletin, the ratio of non-oil exports (including re-exports) to imports increased to 35.3% in 2024, up from 35.1% in 2023.

Meanwhile, the share of oil exports in total exports decreased from 77.3% in 2023 to 73.1% in 2024.

The bulletin showed that “chemical industry products” topped the list of non-oil exports, accounting for 25.5% of the total, while “machinery, electrical equipment, and parts” led imports with a 25.3% share.

China remained Saudi Arabia’s top trading partner in merchandise trade, accounting for 15.2% of total Saudi exports in 2024, while imports from China accounted for 23.9% of the Kingdom’s total imports during the same year.