Libya Restarts Sharara–Zawiya Oil Pipeline

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On the evening of September 26, Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) reopened valve No. 7 on the main oil pipeline running from the Sharara oil field to Zawiya and resumed crude oil pumping operations. NOC stated that pipeline flow was gradually returning to normal, and that the relevant operations were restarted in accordance with safety procedures to restore crude oil supply from the Sharara oil field to the Zawiya refinery and export terminal. The pipeline had been shut down for several consecutive days since September 21 due to the closure of valve No. 7.

The Sharara oil field is operated by Akakus Oil Operations, with crude oil transported to Zawiya via the Sharara–Zawiya main pipeline. On September 21, an armed group closed valve No. 7, causing pipeline pressure to rise and Sharara oil field production to drop rapidly. NOC stated at the time that its technical teams were unable to access the area where valves No. 6 and No. 7 are located, and that a continued closure would affect oil field production, crude oil transportation, and export operations.

As of September 24, NOC's tally of cumulative crude oil production losses over four days reached 720,362 barrels. Of this, 129,085 barrels were lost on September 21, rising to 259,349 barrels on September 22, 235,983 barrels on September 23, and 237,937 barrels on September 24. NOC estimated that direct economic losses as of September 24 had exceeded US$75 million.

The pipeline shutdown also affected crude oil supply to the Zawiya refining facilities. On September 22, NOC disclosed that single-day production losses had reached approximately 130,000 barrels and warned that a continued shutdown would further reduce refinery inventories; by September 25, the company stated that units at the Zawiya refinery faced the risk of successive shutdowns due to declining crude oil storage tank inventories. Following the pipeline's restoration, Sharara crude oil re-entered the Zawiya supply system.

In March of this year, the Sharara–Zawiya pipeline was also shut down due to a leak and fire at valve No. 13 at kilometer 538. NOC resumed oil transportation after completing repairs and safety tests, and gradually increased production at Sharara and the adjacent El Feel oil field. The September shutdown involved valve No. 7, and the cause was different from the March pipeline incident.