Energy & Resources
Libya oil pipeline reopens after armed group blockade
Libya's National Oil Corporation said an oil pipeline linking the Al-Sharara oilfield to the Zawiya export terminal had reopened after an armed group blocked it for several days, ending a disruption it put at $95 million.
The NOC said valve number seven had been reopened, allowing crude pumping to resume through the pipeline from southwest Libya to the Mediterranean coast.
The company said an armed group shut the valve on Monday, causing a drop in production. It did not identify the group or state its demands.
The pipeline is operated by Akakus, a joint venture between the NOC, Spain's Repsol, France's TotalEnergies, Austria's OMV and Norway's Equinor.
Earlier in the week, the NOC said protesting guards had shut the gates of the Zawiya oil refinery and warned that the action could affect fuel supplies and public revenues. It also said at the time that the Al-Sharara disruption had caused losses of about 130,000 barrels per day.
Blockades of oil and gas facilities have been common in Libya in recent years, driven by social grievances, security threats or political disputes.
Update
Libya's National Oil Corporation said valve number seven on the Al-Sharara-Zawiya pipeline had reopened.
The NOC said crude pumping through the pipeline had resumed.
The NOC said the disruption cost $95 million.
The NOC said an armed group had shut the valve on Monday, but gave no details about the group or its demands.
Source note: AFP news report published on 26 September 2026 at 21:47:26 UTC.
Update
Protesting guards closed the gates of the Zawiya oil refinery, Libya's National Oil Corporation said.
The NOC said access to the Brega Petroleum Marketing Company was partly granted but the refinery remained shut.
The NOC said the guards' demands were unclear.
The NOC warned the refinery shutdown could paralyse operations at the complex and affect fuel supplies and public revenues.
Source note: AFP news report published on 22 September 2026 at 16:28:35 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The NOC did not identify the armed group that shut the valve or state its demands.
The current status of the separate Zawiya refinery gate shutdown was not stated in this item.
Source
AFP news report published on .