SUDAN - Exports.

The real figures of Sudan's current crude oil and products exports is a mystery as the Khartoum government is not transparent on this matter. The mystery stems from the fact that many of the oilfields were affected by floods in the past two months as well as the unrest in Kordofan and the south.

Sudan's exports of crude oil and refined products in the first half of 2007 jumped 45% over the same period last year, the Ministry of Finance reported on Sept. 19. In a report, the ministry attributed the increase of export revenues to a hike in the petroleum exports by 55%, without giving the exact data of the export turnover. It said, export revenues of goods other than petroleum witnessed a decrease of 19%, compared to the same period last year, while imports witnessed a slight increase of 6%. The official SUNA news agency quoted an official concerned as saying that the increase in export revenues had resulted in a surplus in the trade balance in the first half of this year.

In 2006, Sudan consumed 94,000 b/d and exported about 320,000 b/d of crude oil, with the majority of crude destined for Asian markets. According official trade statistics as reported to Global Trade, Sudan exported 124,000 b/d of its crudes to Japan in 2006. China imported a significant portion of Sudanese crudes in 2006 averaging 99,000 b/d. Additional importers of Sudanese crude included South Korea, Indonesia, and India. According to the International Crude Oil Market Handbook, Sudan's Nile Blend is considered sweet and light, having a gravity of 33[degrees] API and a low sulphur content of 0.045%.

The oil boom helped Sudan record a projected 12% growth in GDP in 2006 and 11% this year, according to the IMF.