Since the outbreak of civil war in Sudan in April 2023, there have been rising concerns about the physical
security of oil infrastructure and the sector’s overall operational capacity. Control of the country’s oil infrastructure has been split among different armed groups. The national military, Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), has retained control of the export terminal in the Red Sea port of Port Sudan. At the same time, a rival armed group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), seized—and now maintain—command of Sudan’s primary refinery in Khartoum and at least one pumping station.

Fields of Control: Oil and (In)security in Sudan and South Sudan reviews the historical linkages between oil and security in Sudan and South Sudan, and provides an overview of the key actors in the sector. After considering the security impact of the political and economic dimensions of oil production, it examines the more direct relationship between oil and violence, assessing the current situation within and between the two states as well as at the local community level as of mid-2015.