Libya’s Sharara Oil Pipeline Resumes Flow After Armed Blockade

TRIPOLI — Libya’s National Oil Corporation announced Saturday that a critical oil pipeline linking the Al-Sharara oilfield in southwest Libya to the Zawiya export terminal on the Mediterranean coast has reopened, ending a several-day blockade that the firm estimated cost $95 million.

The pipeline, operated by Akakus—a joint venture involving the NOC, Spain’s Repsol, France’s TotalEnergies, Austria’s OMV, and Norway’s Equinor—was shuttered on September 21 when an armed group and Petroleum Facilities Guard members closed valve number seven, sharply reducing output at Sharara, Libya’s largest oilfield. The closure stemmed from demands by Guard personnel over their status and funding.

The NOC confirmed that valve seven has been reopened, restoring crude pumping. Blockades of oil and gas infrastructure have become increasingly common in Libya in recent years, often driven by social grievances, security threats, or political disputes.

September 27, 2026 05:35

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