In brief
The NOC stopped pumping from the Hamada oil fields to the Zawiya refinery after a valve was closed by an armed group, causing a pressure spike and potential loss of 15,000 barrels per day. The incident follows a similar disruption earlier this month, highlighting recurring security threats to Libya’s oil infrastructure.
The Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced on Friday that it had halted the movement of crude oil from the Hamada fields to the Zawiya refinery after an armed group closed a valve on the main pipeline. The sudden shutdown was said to trigger a sharp pressure spike, prompting NOC technical teams to stop pumping to protect the refinery’s safety.
According to the NOC’s statement, the closure could lead to the loss of about 15,000 barrels of crude per day if the valve remained shut. The company urged relevant authorities to take swift action to reopen the valve and resume operations to preserve production and supply continuity.
NOC officials emphasized that the incident was not the first of its kind this month. Reports from a leading energy industry outlet noted that this was the second time armed actors had disrupted flow to the Zawiya refinery within a 30‑day period, underscoring the ongoing vulnerability of Libya’s oil infrastructure to security threats.
The Hamada pipeline, which runs from northwestern inland fields to the northwest coast west of Tripoli, is a critical artery for the country’s oil export chain. The valve that was closed is located near the source of the crude, making any interruption immediately impactful for downstream processing.
In an earlier statement, the NOC’s executive spokesman said that the valve had been shut as part of an armed group’s security operation, which may have targeted the pipeline for political leverage. While the NOC did not identify the group, it confirmed that the closure forced a safety‑driven shutdown of pumping to avert a potential rupture.
Observers in the industry have noted that repeated attacks on pipelines in Libya raise the risk of larger-scale disruptions. The NOC’s choice to halt pumping highlights a preventive approach to protecting its assets, although it also signals a bottleneck for a refinery that processes a significant portion of the country’s crude oil.
The use of a main pipeline to supply the Zawiya refinery is central to Libya’s oil sector, which has been plagued by structural instability. The NOC’s call for urgent remedial measures reflects the broader effort to maintain operational continuity amid intermittent security challenges.
Industry analysts have underscored that disruptions like this, especially when occurring repeatedly within a short timeframe, may compel the NOC to reassess its risk mitigation strategies for other pipelines as well. The potential loss of 15,000 barrels per day represents a notable fraction of Libya’s overall production capacity.
The NOC also requested that authorities coordinate closely with security forces to ensure the swift opening of the valve and highlight the risk posed by armed attacks on critical infrastructure. The statement made clear that the priority is to safeguard both staff and equipment while ensuring that downstream operations are restored as fast as possible.
As the story continues to unfold, stakeholders will be watching to see whether the valve can be reopened quickly and whether additional security measures are implemented to avoid future interruptions. The incident adds to a growing list of operational challenges currently facing Libya’s oil sector, as the country navigates both internal conflicts and the need for robust, secure export pipelines.
