Surge in Libyan barrels built on shifting sands

The North African producer faces significant challenges in extending, or even maintaining, its jump in output

Libyan oil production has recovered faster than expected after the end of an eight-month blockade of most of its ports and fields. But that recovery rests on shaky foundations. The blockade was imposed in January by Khalifa Haftar, commander of the powerful Libyan National Army (LNA) based in the east of the country. Output plummeted from 1.2mn bl/d to 100,000bl/d as a result, with most of the remaining production from offshore platforms. Haftar imposed the blockade on the grounds that eastern Libya should get a larger share of oil revenues collected by the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA)—which, as the internationally recognised administration, has title to hydrocarbons rec