An armed group has closed a valve on the pipeline connecting Libya’s El Sharara oil field to Zawiya, sharply reducing production and raising the prospect of force majeure.
The National Oil Corporation (NOC) said the closure caused pressure to build inside the pipeline, forcing output cuts at El Sharara, Libya’s largest oil field. The facility can produce around 350,000 barrels per day at full capacity, equivalent to roughly one-third of the country’s total output.
The affected pipeline runs from the field, about 700 kilometres south of Tripoli, to Zawiya, which hosts a major export terminal and refinery. The NOC warned that a prolonged disruption could also force the Zawiya refinery to suspend operations.
If the closure continues, the company said it may invoke force majeure, allowing it to suspend contractual obligations due to circumstances beyond its control. It previously took this step at El Sharara during a shutdown in January 2024.
The NOC also warned that lower production would reduce state revenue. Libya, which holds Africa’s largest proven oil reserves, has repeatedly experienced disruptions at oil facilities since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Armed groups and protesters frequently target energy infrastructure to exert political or economic pressure.
via Euronews
