Libya's Acting Oil and Gas Minister Khalifa Abdulsadek at the Libya Energy & Economy Summit in Tripoli in Januay
Libya’s NOC sees E&P optimism through the anger
North African producer hopeful of bringing in IOCs despite the disagreements over terms as latest bidding round is launched
On the face of it, the launch of Libya’s first oil exploration bidding round for 17 years contains some solid prospects. The country is home to Africa’s largest oil reserves, and blocks on offer are adjacent to fields already producing. But security concerns and political headwinds may dampen enthusiasm among IOCs. Libya’s bidding round, announced in early March, is part of the National Oil Corporation’s (NOC) strategy to lure back foreign companies who fled the country’s wars and turbulence. But political question marks hang over the deal. Libya is split between rival governments in east and west, and the eastern government has yet to signal its approval. “Libya is open for business:
Also in this section
16 January 2026
The country’s global energy importance and domestic political fate are interlocked, highlighting its outsized oil and gas powers, and the heightened fallout risk
16 January 2026
The global maritime oil transport sector enters 2026 facing a rare convergence of crude oversupply, record newbuild deliveries and the potential easing of several geopolitical disruptions that have shaped trade flows since 2022
15 January 2026
Rebuilding industry, energy dominance and lower energy costs are key goals that remain at odds in 2026
14 January 2026
Chavez’s socialist reforms boosted state control but pushed knowledge and capital out of the sector, opening the way for the US shale revolution
