Armed Group Shuts Libya Pipeline Valve at Sharara Field

An unnamed armed group shut Valve No. 7 on the crude pipeline linking Libya's Sharara field to the western port of Zawiya, causing a pressure buildup and a significant drop in production at the country's largest oil field, the National Oil Corporation said in a statement late Monday. The NOC warned that it could be compelled to declare force majeure if the closure continues, a legal provision that allows suppliers to suspend contractual obligations under circumstances beyond their control. The corporation called for the pipeline to be reopened immediately and urged authorities to secure oil installations against armed groups, protests and other disruptions. Production at Sharara has fallen sharply as a result of the shutdown. One report put current output at approximately 127,000 barrels per day, with most of the field's flow redirected to the Mellitah port, though that figure has not been independently corroborated. Sources give varying estimates of the field's capacity, ranging from about 300,000 to 350,000 barrels per day, with the field accounting for roughly a third of Libya's total output.