Libya's National Oil Corporation said today that the closure of Valve No. 7 in the Hamada area on the pipeline carrying crude from the Sharara oilfield to the port of Zawiya had halted the line and cut output by around 130,000 barrels per day. It said its board was preparing to declare force majeure in the coming hours if the valve was not reopened.
Zawiya refinery gate closed
The corporation said a group of facility guards had closed the gates of the Zawiya Oil Refining Company and the headquarters of the Brega Oil Marketing Company, preventing staff from entering and shifts from being changed.
It added that the Brega company's gate was partially reopened later, while the main gate of the Zawiya refinery remained closed. It said the continued closure was preventing the safe resumption of operations in line with occupational health and safety rules.
Warning of disruptions to supplies and revenues
The corporation warned that continued obstruction could bring operations at the oil complex to a complete standstill, directly affecting fuel supplies and public revenues, as well as disrupting the import and distribution of petroleum products in the domestic market.
The corporation called for all forms of closure to be lifted and for technical, operational and administrative teams to be allowed to carry out their duties. It also urged the security authorities to assume responsibility for protecting the facilities and securing the workers.
