The construction of South Sudan’s delayed first oil refinery is due to start before the end of the year, its government said Thursday, as the country seeks to end chronic fuel supply disruptions. The information ministry said in a statement that construction of the 5,000 barrel-a-day Bentiu Refinery in the Unity state was originally expected to begin in July but had been delayed, mainly due to bad road conditions that hindered equipment delivery. South Sudan took the majority of Sudan’s oil production when it became independent in 2011 but has no refineries of its own and has had to import fuel from Sudan or other neighboring countries. The Bentiu Refinery is key in helping the country to control escalating fuel prices caused by inflation, a weakening currency and disruptions along the main import route through Uganda caused by flooding. The plant […]