Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) has declared force majeure on crude exports from Al-Zawiya and Mellitah terminals, a document sent to traders and seen by Reuters showed on Monday.
Reuters reported Monday evening that the NOC said it had declared the force majeure because the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) prevented the company from carrying out oil production operations at the Sharara and Wafa oilfields. The force majeure does not apply to loadings of petroleum products, NOC said.
NOC said earlier that the PFG had blocked operations at both those fields and the Hamada oilfield with an expected reduction in output of 300,000 barrels per day (bpd).
The PFG media office said the group that had closed the fields on Monday was not officially affiliated with the PFG but had worked to provide protection for oil installations. It said the group had demanded military accreditation and the construction of a new road.
Sources, which asked to remain anonymous, said the real reason behind the blockade is the decision of NOC Chairman to sack the manager of Akakus Oil Operations Company, leading to tensions among the PFG members who come from Zintan; the same as the sacked manager.
