Libya’s eastern-based government has warned it may declare force majeure on oilfields and export terminals, citing “repeated assaults” on the state-run National Oil Corporation (NOC). The announcement raises fresh concerns over the stability of Libya’s energy sector.
The statement came from the administration in Benghazi, which is not internationally recognized but controls much of Libya’s oil infrastructure. Many of the country’s key oilfields are in the east, under the control of General Khalifa Haftar and his Libyan National Army (LNA).
Rumors recently spread that the NOC’s Tripoli headquarters had been stormed. In response, the eastern government said it might temporarily relocate NOC’s base to safer cities like Ras Lanuf or Brega—both under its control—according to a Reuters report.
However, NOC dismissed the reports as “completely false.” The company stated that operations at oilfields and ports were “proceeding normally and safely.”
Earlier in May, clashes in Tripoli forced shipping companies to reroute vessels, raising alarms about the security of the country’s oil exports. Despite the unrest, NOC assured both local and international partners that oil and gas operations remain uninterrupted.
“Production and export operations continue smoothly and without disruption at all subsidiaries,” the company said, adding that it maintains “the highest standards of security and safety.”
In recent months, major international oil firms have begun returning to Libya after years of absence due to the country’s civil conflict. BP and Eni resumed activities last year, and U.S. oilfield services company Weatherford also returned after a decade-long hiatus.
Libya, home to Africa’s largest proven oil reserves, remains deeply divided between rival governments in the east and west. Continued instability poses ongoing risks to its critical oil sector.
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