Oil workers in an oilfield in South Sudan | Credit | Hiba Morgan/Aljazeera

The government has resumed oil production at Torr oilfield in Ruweng state.

The production was affected by the outbreak of violence in 2013.

The area with about 16 wells is expected to produce between 5,000 to 45,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

The Minister of Petroleum, Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth says more oil wells will be reopened by June this year.

“Today we managed to resume Al-Torr oil field, it has been projected that we will be starting with 5,000 barrels a day. We are having 16 wells and we will be putting it to production, 6 wells as a start and then we will continue to make sure that the rest of the remaining wells are put into production.”

He said that the Menga oil field will soon be re-openedin order to benefit the people pf South Sudan.

Ezekiel Lol promised the residents of Ruweng that the government will use the revenue to provide health facilities, infrastructure, and education in the area.

According to South Sudan Constitution, two percent of the oil revenue is supposed to be given back to the locals as compensation, and then relocated to an area far from the production.

However, researchers say more than 180, 0000 South Sudanese living near the oil fields use contaminated water which is dangerous for people’s health, livestock and the environment.