In February 2024, BB Energy entered a deal to provide $100 million in financing to the South Sudanese government, secured against future deliveries of Nile/Dar Blend crude oil, but later secured a temporary injunction to stop South Sudan from selling a 600,000 barrel cargo

By James Chatim

BB Energy has said it had lifted South Sudan’s crude oil after a significant legal dispute over non-delivery.

In a statement published by the London-based energy company on Saturday, its Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Bassatne, said the company secured the first South Sudan’s crude oil cargo following high-level engagements with South Sudan leader, President Salva Kiir and Finance Minister, Dr. Barnaba Bak.

In February 2024, BB Energy entered a deal to provide $100 million in financing to the South Sudanese government, secured against future deliveries of Nile/Dar Blend crude oil.

However, in November 2025, BB Energy secured a temporary injunction from the High Court in London to stop South Sudan from selling a 600,000-barrel cargo, alleging that the government failed to deliver on previous agreements and still owed the company over $60 million.

According to the energy company, deliveries of the crude were subsequently impacted by exceptional circumstances, notably the pipeline rupture in February 2024, which led to prolonged supply disruptions and financial pressures affecting the Republic of South Sudan and resulted in delays under the agreement.

By November 28, 2025, however, the injunction was lifted after BB Energy reached an agreement with rival firms (Euro American and Meridian Energy) that had purchased the cargo.

Despite lifting the injunction, BB Energy stated it would continue to pursue legal action against South Sudan for its failure to deliver cargoes scheduled for 2024 and 2025.

“The lifting of this cargo represents an important first step and a very positive development for both BB Energy and the Republic of South Sudan. Acting under the instructions of H.E. President Salva Kiir Mayardit, the Hon. Dr. Bak Barnaba Chol and the Hon. Dr. Chol Deng Thon Abel have worked tirelessly and constructively to unlock this progress. I would like to sincerely thank them and their teams for their professionalism, commitment, and openness over recent months,” said Mr. Bassatne.

“We now look forward to concluding the comprehensive agreement covering the remaining deliveries under our prepayment arrangement as soon as possible, and to restoring the strong, mutually beneficial relationship that has characterised BB Energy’s engagement with South Sudan for many years,” he added, clarifying that such prepayment structures are widely used across the energy industry to secure long-term strategic crude supply.

The Bassatne family-owned company has been in operations since the 1960s, commanding a 60-year heritage in the trading, logistics and refining business. Today, BB Energy (BBE), operates from across 13 strategic locations, with a 33 million metric tonnes of annual product volume, focusing on crude oil and petroleum products.

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“Acting under the instructions of H.E. President Salva Kiir Mayardit, the Hon. Dr. Bak Barnaba Chol and the Hon. Dr. Chol Deng Thon Abel have worked tirelessly and constructively to unlock this progress,” said Mohamed Bassatne, Chief Executive of BB Energy.