Attack at Libya's Es-Sider threatens oil industry
The attack at Es-Sider has plunged the country's oil industry into its ever-deepening civil war
Black smoke stained the sky and flames leapt 300 feet in the air as fighting left Es-Sider, Libya's largest oil port, ablaze. The fire, in December, was the culmination of a civil war fought for control of the country's oil industry. It may end up destroying it. After six months of fighting, Libya has two governments, each a loose coalition of militias and tribal forces, battling each other along a tangle of front lines. But while the politics of this war are complicated, the objective remains the same - to control the country's oil. Libya has Africa's largest oil reserves, an estimated 48 billion barrels of highly prized light, sweet oil. The country derives about 95% of government revenues
Also in this section
23 April 2026
The addition of an oil pipeline to the Power of Siberia 2 gas project could ensure deliveries of Russian oil to China, materially shorten logistics lines between West Siberia and final customers, and—amid disruption in the Strait of Hormuz—offer a land-based export route that reduces exposure to maritime chokepoints
23 April 2026
There is a clear push to bolster exports to Asia amid uncertainty around its North American neighbour, but there are limits to the benefits from the energy crisis
23 April 2026
Shell made the play-opening discovery in Namibia’s Orange basin back in 2022, but its next well could decide whether the project can actually be commercialised
22 April 2026
The failure of OMV Petrom’s keenly watched exploration campaign at Bulgaria’s Han Asparuh block highlights the Black Sea’s uneven track record, despite major successes like Neptun Deep and Sakarya
