About 130,000 barrels a day lost and a warning of operational paralysis
Libya – The National Oil Corporation (NOC) warned that the closure of the gates of the Zawiya oil complex threatens refining operations and fuel supplies, saying its Board of Directors is preparing to declare force majeure within the coming hours if the closed valve on the Sharara crude pipeline is not reopened.
Gate closures and inability to change shifts
In a statement issued in Tripoli on 22 September 2026, the NOC said a group of members of the Petroleum Facilities Guard closed the gates of the Zawiya Oil Refining Company and the gate of the Brega Oil Marketing Company on Tuesday morning, preventing employees and technicians from entering and stopping the replacement of night shifts responsible for running operations.
It added that the closure also prevented students of the Oil Institute for Qualification and Training in Zawiya from attending classes, before the Brega gate was partially reopened later, while the main gate of the refinery remained closed at the time the statement was issued.
The NOC stressed that the partial reopening does not meet the requirements for a full and safe resumption of operations in the optimal manner, in line with occupational health and safety rules applied in the oil sector.
Closure of the Sharara line and production losses
The corporation said the developments coincide with the continued closure of Valve No. 7 in the Hamada area over recent days by a number of Petroleum Facilities Guard members in the south-west and an armed group.
According to the statement, that led to a halt on the crude pipeline from the Sharara field operated by Akakus Oil Operations to Zawiya port, with daily losses reaching about 130,000 barrels and expected to rise if the closure continues.
Risks to facilities and supplies
The NOC warned that closing the complex exposes its operations to incalculable technical, operational and security risks and undermines public safety standards, threatening severe damage to vital facilities and equipment and a halt to refining and oil supplies.
It added that continued obstruction would lead to a complete paralysis of operations inside the complex, directly affecting fuel deliveries and public revenues, and disrupting the import and distribution of petroleum products in the local market, raising the cost of supplies and compounding citizens’ daily hardship.
Call to reopen gates and protect staff
The NOC called on those behind the closure to exercise reason and wisdom and put the national interest first, lift all forms of closure immediately and allow technical, operational and administrative crews to carry out their duties.
It also urged the competent and security authorities to assume their national and legal responsibilities in protecting facilities and securing the movement of workers, and to keep oil installations away from factional disputes and demands.
Force majeure to protect assets and obligations
The corporation reiterated that oil and its vital facilities belong to all Libyans, and that keeping them running protects national assets and national security.
It said its Board of Directors’ readiness to declare force majeure within the coming hours if the valve is not reopened is intended to protect the assets of the corporation and its partners, meet contractual obligations and avoid imposing high financial penalties on the Libyan state.
