The Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC) has announced it is lifting force majeure on Sharara oilfield, the country’s largest oil producer, marking another milestone for the recovery of Libyan oil production.
In a statement on Sunday, the NOC said it had instructed the operator of the southwestern oilfield, Acacus, to start production arrangements, taking into consideration public safety and process safety standards.
NOC remarked that the move follows an agreement (Truce of Honor) with the Petroleum Facilities Guard, which pledged to ensure that there would be no security breaches.
Reopening Sharara oilfield comes more than three weeks after warlord Khalifa Haftar said he would lift the blockade on fields and ports following a deal with the Tripoli-based, UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) – signed by Presidential Council member Ahmed Maiteeq.
At the time, the NOC lifted force majeure on the oil terminals and restarted production from certain fields it considered “safe” shortly after the agreement was reached, but some major facilities, such as Sharara oilfield, remained un-operational.
