Libya's Oil Production Returns to Normal After Brief Shutdown
Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) has announced that oil production has returned to normal levels after a brief shutdown. Chairman Massoud Suleiman stated that the impact of the closure was limited and no further production halts are expected.
The shutdown occurred when members of the Petroleum Facilities Guard, who secure oil facilities, closed valves on the crude oil export pipeline connecting Hamada and Zawiya, affecting three oilfields: Hamada, Tahara, and NC5. The NOC had warned that if similar forced shutdowns occurred at other oilfields, it might declare force majeure, meaning it would be unable to fulfill contractual obligations.
The PFG closed the valves to demand financial and administrative control over their organization, currently under the Ministry of Defense, be transferred to the NOC. Chairman Suleiman had previously stated that Libya's overall oil production remained at around 1.4 million barrels per day without major impact, and that the NOC was in contact with the PFG.