A political standoff in Libya risks once more paralyzing the north African country’s lucrative oil sector.
But the frequency of its power tussles and crude disruptions have left long-term oil price support into question.
Oil prices rallied on Monday on the Libyan reports, but had already surrendered much of these gains during the Tuesday session.
Crude oil prices ticked higher earlier today, after posting two daily losses, as the shutdown of oil fields in Libya took precedence over demand worry.
Oil advanced after Libya’s eastern government said it will halt exports, building on tensions in the Middle East after Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon raised concerns of a broader conflict.
Africa’s largest refinery, the Dangote facility in Nigeria, is actively seeking crude oil supplies from Libya and Angola. This move comes as the refinery faces difficulties obtaining adequate domestic crude due to theft, pipeline vandalism, and low investment in Nigeria’s oil sector.
Libya’s Petroleum Facilities Guards (PFG) threatened on Sunday to close all oil and gas facilities in the country’s western region after the end of a 10-day deadline to authorities to meet their demands, including a 67% salary rise.
Political instability has hindered Libya’s oil production, but the country is eager to regain its energy prominence with a goal of reaching 2 million barrels per day.
Substantial foreign investment is required to modernize Libya’s aging oil infrastructure, including pipelines and storage facilities.
Despite challenges, Libya’s significant untapped oil reserves present a substantial opportunity for economic growth and energy sector revival.
Speakers participating during a finance panel at the Libya Energy&Economic Summit (LEES) this week shared that the country’s planned licensing rounds – for domestic companies as well as an international tender – will be launched soon, in line with national targets to more than double oil production.
The Director of the Media Office at the Tripoli based Libyan Ministry of Oil and Gas, Ahmed Al-Tarhouni, told Libya Herald, that talk of the National Oil Corporation’s (NOC) intention to contract with a coalition of Eni / Adnoc /Total and grant them a 40 percent share of production is a legal violation that should be alerted to.
Oil-rich Libya has been fighting to get its oil industry back on track over the last decade, since the Arab Spring and subsequent political instability. Following the failed presidential elections of 2021, it finally appeared that Libya’s oil and gas industry was getting back on track. More foreign investment was coming in and several discoveries showed great promise for the country’s oil fields. However, a recent devastating storm has plunged into a humanitarian crisis, meaning its energy revenues and international support will be vital for its recovery.
Given the economic mayhem that energy price-fuelled inflation has caused for Western governments since Russia’s invasion of Crimea, the last thing they want is another oil production shutdown in Libya that would push oil prices higher again.