The Minister of Petroleum says oil production in Upper Nile State has increased from 160,000 to 168,000 barrels per day.

The production of the crude declined since the outbreak of the conflict more than a year ago.

The Minister of Petroleum and Mining, Stephen Dhieu, says challenges still persist despite the increase in production.

“There are a lot of challenges – monitoring, working with operators, marketing recruit, development of the legal framework. All these are challenges and they are still [there],” said Mr Dhieu.

“As we speak, some regulations have not been completed but there are those working with us to complete so that Industry is fully regulated and then you optimize and maximized the resources through the management for the people of South Sudan.”

Upper Nile was producing about 60 percent of the 240,000 barrels produced per day before the conflict.

But most of the oil facilities in Unity State, which was producing about 40 percent, have been destroyed in the fighting.