• Libya tests 130 km pipeline to reduce gas flaring
• Project to recover 150 million cubic feet daily
• Move aims to ease bottlenecks, improve gas network efficiency

Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) began testing a gas pipeline on Tuesday, April 13, as part of efforts to reduce flaring linked to crude oil production. The step is required before the infrastructure can be commissioned and should improve efficiency across the national gas network.

The NOC said the 42-inch pipeline, stretching about 130 km, will recover up to 150 million cubic feet of gas per day that was previously flared due to limited transport infrastructure. It is also expected to ease technical bottlenecks hindering production at several sites.

The project connects the Intisar A/103 gas field to the Brega distribution network. It had been stalled for more than 16 years before its recent completion. Final commissioning work is being carried out by Libyan teams from Sirte Oil Company and Zueitina Oil Company.

Local media say the project forms part of Libya’s broader push to better utilize its gas resources and support the development of its energy sector, as new gas discoveries emerge. These include finds in the Ghadames Basin by Sonatrach and offshore by Eni, announced on April 8.

Aging infrastructure under strain

Gas plays a central role in Libya’s energy system, particularly in Brega, in the east of the country. In a March 2026 report on Libya’s gas sector, the International Gas Union (IGU) said Brega and Mellitah are the country’s two main gas hubs. Brega is central to the Sirte network, which supplies power plants, refineries and coastal infrastructure.

The network relies on the Greenstream offshore pipeline, around 510 km long, linking Mellitah to Gela in Italy. According to the IGU, the pipeline is jointly operated by the NOC and Eni and remains the main export route for Libyan gas to Europe.

Domestically, most gas is consumed locally. An analysis by Petroleum Economist, citing NOC Chairman Masoud Suleiman, says about 85% of production is used for power generation. This dependence is putting pressure on existing infrastructure, much of which is aging, idle or affected by recurring pressure issues.

In response, the state company is stepping up efforts. This includes the launch in March of the first phase of the Farigh-Brega pipeline, a roughly 30 km project aimed at improving supply.

Abdel-Latif Boureima