The oil world's most difficult job
NOC’s chairman fears a disaster if his company is dragged into the war for Libya’s oil
Many oilmen are under pressure around the world, but none more than Mustafa Sanallah, chairman of Libya's National Oil Company (NOC) and, given the two-year-old conflict that has left rival governments and their allied militias fighting for control, the country's de facto oil minister. Sanallah's job ought to be straightforward, keeping Libya's high-quality oil flowing out and money flowing in. Instead, since 2014, Libya's post-Qadhafi chaos has only deepened and the NOC chief 's task has become steadily harder. In 2011, Libya produced about 1.6m barrels a day. Now it is struggling to keep output above 200,000 b/d. Most fields are idle; some, in the once-prolific Sirte basin, were severely d
Also in this section
6 February 2026
The long close relationship between key supplier Qatar and pivotal buyer Japan becomes even deeper following new landmark deal
6 February 2026
Partnerships across the LNG value chain have evolved over time, growing in both complexity and importance, according to panellists at LNG2026
6 February 2026
Nigeria's mega-refinery is still trying to solve many challenges, all while its owner talks up expansion
5 February 2026
While broadly supportive of EU efforts to tackle methane emissions, representatives of the gas industry warn it could deter supply contracting if timelines and compliance requirements are not made more pragmatic






