The Libyan Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) has announced that they are working with the country’s unity government to reopen oil fields that have been shut down.This is coming after the rival National Oil Companies (NOC) announced their decision to merge, in order to restore order to the industry.

The PFG guards Libya’s oil facilities and has also been in control of two of Libya’s major export terminals, Es Sider and Ras Lanuf.“The commander of Petroleum Facilities Guards (PFG), Ibrahim Jathran, has announced that oil will be pumped soon and oilfields of the oil crescent (region) will be also prepared to resume work. Jathran said that we, the PFG of central region, will work with the NOC that belongs to the presidential council of the government of national accord,” Ali Hassi, the spokesman for the PFG, told Petroleum Africa.He however did not disclose the fields to be reopened.

Attacks by militant, fighting between rival factions and also a conflict between two rival governments, have reduced Libya's oil production to about 350 million bbls/d, damaged pipelines, fields and ports.Analysts have said that the coming together of the two NOCs would be of great benefit to the country, but oil recovery could be counteracted by the long-term technical damage and the group of armed groups controlling oil fields.

Anita Fatunji