Conflict cripples Libya's oil sector
The latest battle for Libya’s key oil ports—the fourth in as many years—leaves vital infrastructure destroyed and the country’s production recovery in jeopardy
Fighting began on 14 June when warlord Ibrahim Jathran led his grandly named but poorly equipped militia, the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG), in an attack that seized Es Sider, Libya's largest export terminal, and nearby Ras Lanuf, its largest refinery. Jathran's militia were originally formed to guard the ports, which take exports from the Sirte Basin, home to two-thirds of Libya's production. But from 2013, they blockaded the terminals demanding huge payments. The blockade ended in September 2016 when Khalifa Hafter's Libya National Army (LNA) seized them, opening them for business. Since that capture, Libya's oil production has jumped from 220,000 barrels a day to hit 1m b/d in June las
Also in this section
8 December 2025
The Caribbean country’s role in the global oil market is significantly diminished, but disruptions caused by outright conflict would still have implications for US Gulf Coast refineries
5 December 2025
Mistaken assumptions around an oil bull run that never happened are a warning over the talk of a supply glut
4 December 2025
Time is running out for Lukoil and Rosneft to divest international assets that will be mostly rendered useless to them when the US sanctions deadline arrives in mid-December
3 December 2025
Aramco’s pursuit of $30b in US gas partnerships marks a strategic pivot. The US gains capital and certainty; Saudi Arabia gains access, flexibility and a new export future
