Libya's seesawing oil production
The head of the country's National Oil Corporation is succeeding in pushing output higher against the odds, only for its ubiquitous militias to push it back down again
The latest force pressing down on Libya's crude production comes from a familiar source: militias holding oil facilities to ransom. On 23 February, the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG), a state-funded militia, forcibly closed the southwestern El Feel field, a joint venture between NOC and Italy's Eni. NOC said the guards rioted, firing in the air and threatening staff who fled the site. As a result, El Feel's 70,000 barrels a day of production ceased. NOC declared force majeure on supplies from the field. NOC chairman and chief executive Mustafa Sanalla has previously complained about militias trying to control oil facilities. In February, Sanalla told Petroleum Economist that "all Libyans d
Also in this section
10 December 2024
Sector at economic and strategic crossroads, but clear path ahead for midstream additions
30 November 2024
Decades of turmoil have left Iraq’s vast energy potential underutilised, but renewed investment and strategic reforms are transforming it into a key player in the region
29 November 2024
The country's fifth and sixth oil and gas bid rounds have attracted a range of new players with gas as well as oil ambitions—and there’s a seismic shift in the contracting process
28 November 2024
Iraq is charting a new path for its indigenous resources and its youth, hoping to electrify the future with a mix of reforms and modernisation to fuel growth
