Libyan rebel oil-export prospects limited
A shipment of oil has made it out of war-torn Libya, but it may be last for some time to come
The departure of a tanker laden with oil from rebel-held territory in Libya, to an unspecified destination, should bring badly needed funds to the cash-strapped insurgents. But damage to rebel-held oil infrastructure resulting from government military action and the high risks involved in shipping the crude mean the event may prove to be little more than a one-off. While oil exports from government-held territory are banned under the terms of the tightly enforced international embargo on Libya, the rebel-held eastern sector of the country is being allowed to trade, if it can. The shipment of up to 1m barrels left Hariga port, near Tobruk, last Wednesday on the Equator, a vessel operated by G
Also in this section
5 March 2026
Gas is a central pillar of Colombia’s energy system, but declining production poses a significant challenge, and LNG will be increasingly needed as a stopgap. A recent major offshore gas discovery offers hope, but policy improvements are also required, Camilo Morales, secretary general of Naturgas, the Colombian gas association, tells Petroleum Economist
4 March 2026
The continent’s inventories were already depleted before conflict erupted in the Middle East, causing prices to spike ahead of the crucial summer refilling season
4 March 2026
The US president has repeatedly promised to lower gasoline prices, but this ambition conflicts with his parallel aim to increase drilling and could be upended by his war against Iran
4 March 2026
With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed following US-Israel strikes and Iran’s retaliatory escalation, Fujairah has become the region’s critical pressure release valve—and is now under serious threat






