Tripoli, Libya
US tries to ease Libyan tension
The Biden regime is back in the global policeman role as it tries to keep oil flows up
The US has waded into Libya’s latest wave of oil shutdowns—which have almost halved oil production—by proposing an ambitious new financing system to try to separate hydrocarbon revenues from politics. Washington’s move comes as protesters, backed by the Libyan National Army (LNA) of Khalifa Haftar, have forced several ports and fields to close. It is the most serious shutdown since a nine-month oil blockade by the LNA in 2020. Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) has declared force majeure on two shut-in fields, Sharara and El-Feel, and two oil terminals, Brega and Zueitina. In addition, NOC has closed some fields serving Zueitina. NOC says the shutdowns have cut production by 550,000bl/d
Also in this section
28 April 2026
Oil traders warning of $200/bl oil are wrong, and the market should be wary of proclamations that the impact of the oil shortage has only begun to be felt and a that a ‘harsh adjustment’ is coming—even for industrialised nations
28 April 2026
Restoring supply from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Iraq involves complexities far beyond simply adjusting operational controls
28 April 2026
Datacentres will guzzle power at a ferocious rate, but the impact on wider energy markets will be far more complex than previously thought
28 April 2026
The key energy player faces balancing regional routes, political complexities, and creating a clear strategic vision for energy security
