Sanallah: Keep NOC out of the war

Oil is now driving the conflict in Libya, says the state company’s boss, and dragging the firm into it will worsen the situation

National Oil Company’s (NOC) chairman fears that rival factions are poised for a major new oil war for control of central oilfields, and warned the country’s politicians that unless they move fast the conflict could engulf the industry, killing off chances for a production revival and worsening the economy. “The war now is about who is governing the oil,” Mustafa Sanallah said in an interview with Petroleum Economist. “The civil war is guided by the war for the oil. Everyone wants to govern the oil.” The warring sides in Libya’s civil conflict must avoid further damage to the country’s energy installations and stop politicising NOC, which is the only institution that can now transcend the ch