Libyas Zawiya refinery resumes full production after shutdown

Libya’s Largest Oil Refinery Reopens After Brief Shutdown

A Libyan oil refinery, approximately 40km west of Tripoli, has resumed full operations following a two-day shutdown due to fighting in the area. The refinery, operated by Azzawiya Oil Refining Company, had previously declared an emergency and evacuated tankers from the port after heavy shelling struck multiple locations within the facility.

According to a statement released on Friday, the refinery was forced to shut down completely as a precautionary measure. The National Oil Corporation (NOC) confirmed that several high-calibre projectiles landed in various parts of the oil complex, but no significant damage had been reported at that time.

The fighting, described by Zawiya’s security directorate as a “security operation against outlaws,” had intensified and spread into the residential area adjacent to the refinery. The NOC stated that fuel supplies to Tripoli and surrounding areas remained unaffected.

The refinery, which has a capacity of 120,000 barrels per day, is connected to the Sharara oilfield, which produces 300,000 barrels per day. The facility’s shutdown had significant implications for Libya’s energy sector.

Libya has experienced ongoing unrest since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Zawiya has been a hotspot for fighting, with the coastal road to the Tunisian border occasionally being closed due to security concerns.

Source: Al Jazeera