In Libya, the Rayayina Patrols Brigade of the Petroleum Facilities Guard have decided to put an end to a two-year-long blockade of two of the country’s key oil pipelines. The Rayayina pipelines transports crude oil to the Zawia refinery and the Mellitah terminals in western Libya from both the Al-Sharara and Al-Feel oilfields, which have been shut down since the pipelines were initially blocked two years ago.

According to Khalid Shakshak, the Head of the Audi Bureau, with the reopening of the pipelines, Libya could add over 400,000 barrels per day to its oil production and also resolve 70% of Libya’s economic distresses. Secondary sources from OPEC’s Monthly Oil Market Report have revealed that Libya’s production for last month was at 575,000 barrels per day, from 528,000 in October, and from 360,000 barrels per day in September.

As one of the countries exempted from OPEC’s November 30 production cap, its National Oil Company (NOC) plans to boost production to 900,000 bpd and to 1.1 million bpd in 2017. However the pipelines that convey this oil from these two fields are vital in achieving these plans, Oil Price news reports.

The Al-Feel oilfield is a joint venture between NOC and Eni while the Al Sharara field is a joint venture between NOC and Repsol.

Anita Fatunji