Oil production in Libya fell by 280,000 barrels per day after the blockade of some fields in the south of Tripoli by armed formations, Report informs via TASS.
Fighters of the so-called Petroleum Facilities Guard cut off oil supplies from the country's largest oil field, El Sharara, to terminals in the port of Azzawiya, located on the Mediterranean coast 50 km from the capital, in the early hours of Monday.
"After being blocked by groups associated with the protection of oil facilities in the western region of Libya, total production in Libya lost about 280,000 barrels per day, falling to 950,000," a source in the country said.
Al Sharara is operated by Akakus Oil Operations, a joint venture between the National Oil Corporation (NOC) of Libya and a group of European companies, including Spain's Repsol, Austria's OMV and France's Total. The operation of the other smaller El Feel field (operated by NOC and Italy's Eni) and the refinery in Azzawiya also depend on its work in terms of electricity supply.
As noted by 218TV, the Petroleum Facilities Guard, which has caused many problems in the oil industry, this time did not like the decision of the chairman of the board of directors of NOC Mustafa Sanalla to restructure the management of Akakus Oil Operations. Particularly, they oppose the sacking of the company's current head, Ahmed Ammar, demanding to keep him in this post.