An armed group closed a valve on a crude oil pipeline in Libya’s Rayayna area on Friday, forcing pumping operations to stop and disrupting supplies to the Zawiya refinery, the National Oil Corporation (NOC) said.
The 18-inch pipeline supplies the refinery with crude from the Hamada fields, MN-8 and MN-5, and the Tahara field, MN-4, NOC said in a statement.
The sudden valve closure caused a sharp rise in operating pressure, prompting technical teams to halt pumping at 12:30 a.m. to protect the pipeline and production facilities, it said.
NOC warned that a prolonged shutdown would disrupt approximately 15,000 barrels per day of crude intended for the refinery.
The closure also threatened the safety of oil infrastructure and the continuity of refinery supplies, with potential consequences for Libya’s economy, the company said.
NOC condemned the incident and urged the authorities, particularly the Petroleum Facilities Guard, to secure the pipeline, reopen the valve and allow pumping to resume without delay.
It also called for stronger protection of oil facilities and pipelines against attacks that threaten production and the country’s resources.
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