How much longer can Libya's NOC defy political gravity?
Output has soared and the state firm is targeting another 30% increase by year-end. Politics remains the big obstacle
National Oil Corporation (NOC) deserves the plaudits. Libya's oil production, hovering around 1m barrels a day in July and August, is about four times greater than a year ago. Mustafa Sanallah, the company's chairman, wants yet more, hoping to lift output to 1.3m b/d by end-2017. Civil war, political chaos and the ever-present risk of disruptions remain headwinds. As if to remind everyone of the delicate balance achieved by NOC in recent months, on 6 August gunmen stormed the control room at Zawiya, a port in northwest Libya that is the terminus for a pipeline from Sharara, Libya's largest producing oilfield. The disruption, the result of rivalry between militias at the port, looked like it
Also in this section
24 December 2025
As activity in the US Gulf has stagnated at a lower level, the government is taking steps to encourage fresh exploration and bolster field development work
23 December 2025
The new government has brought stability and security to the country, with the door now open to international investment
23 December 2025
A third wave of LNG supply is coming, and with it a likely oversupply of the fuel by 2028
22 December 2025
Weakening climate resolve in the developed world and rapidly growing demand in developing countries means peak oil is still a long way away
