Libya: NOC Condemns Closure Of Main Oil Pipeline, Warns Of Force Majeure

Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) on Tuesday condemned the illegal closure of the main Al-Hamada-Al-Zawiyah oil pipeline by a group of guards, saying the action had halted production and operations at several oil fields.

The closure caused a sudden increase in pressure on production lines at the Al-Tahara field, resulting in a complete halt to production and operations at the Al-Hamada (NC8) and Al-Tahara (NC4) fields, as well as the NC5 station, the NOC said in a statement.

The corporation said the closure had caused significant damage to oilfield operations and could further deepen the crisis facing Libya’s oil sector amid the repercussions of the global energy crisis.

The NOC also rejected threats to shut the field north of Al-Hamada operated by Nafusa Oil Company, as well as any other fields or wells, over strikes or other demands.

It urged those behind the closures to use legal channels to pursue their demands and called on state authorities to take action to resolve the crisis.

The NOC said it could declare force majeure if the pipeline valve remained closed or if other fields were subjected to forced shutdowns.

“The closure of oil fields and the halt of production operations at this sensitive timing, which is witnessing a rise in crude oil prices, is a severe blow to the national economy,” the NOC said.

The corporation appealed to members of the oil facilities security apparatus involved in the protests to exercise restraint and pursue their demands through legal means.

The NOC warned that prolonged disruptions to oil production could damage Libya’s reputation as a reliable global energy supplier and threaten the government’s ability to pay public-sector salaries, with oil revenues serving as the country’s main source of state income.