Libya's Sharara restarts after brief force majeure
The fate of the Sharara field has become entwined with a campaign for better basic services for the inhabitants of southern Libya
Libya’s biggest oil field, Sharara, was briefly shut down by an unidentified group in July, raising the spectre of a return to the frequent protests that saw the field taken offline at intervals over the past four years. The group shut the 290,000 bl/d field on 19 July by closing a valve at Hamada, on the pipeline connecting it with the port of Zawiya. The National Oil Corporation (NOC) briefly declared force majeure for Sharara shipments; but after three days of negotiations the group, which the NOC has not named, agreed to withdraw and the pipeline was reactivated. The stoppage put a brief a dent in Libya's production, which NOC chairman Mustafa Sanallah says stands at 1.2-1.3mn bl/d. Shar
![](/images/white-fade.png)
Also in this section
26 July 2024
Oil majors play it safe amid unfavourable terms in latest oil and gas licensing bid rounds allowing Chinese low-ball moves
25 July 2024
Despite huge efforts by India’s government to accelerate crude production, India’s dependency shows no sign of easing
24 July 2024
Diesel and jet fuel supplies face a timebomb in just four years, and even gasoline may not be immune
23 July 2024
Rosneft’s Arctic megaproject is happening despite sanctions, a lack of foreign investment and OPEC+ restrictions. But it will take a long time for its colossal potential to be realised