Libya Oil Production Halted as Security Force Shuts Pipeline Valve

Libya's National Oil Corporation warned it may declare force majeure after a security force shut a key pipeline valve, halting production at three oil sites and threatening broader cuts in a dispute over administrative control. The disruption began Tuesday when members of the Petroleum Facilities Guard closed a valve on the Hamada-Zawiya crude pipeline. The National Oil Corporation said the closure caused a sudden pressure surge, forcing a complete halt to operations at the Hamada and Tahara fields and a pumping station. The Petroleum Facilities Guard, a state-affiliated security force tasked with protecting Libya's energy infrastructure, is demanding to be transferred financially and administratively from the Defense Ministry to the National Oil Corporation. The guard called on the prime ministry and the oil company to establish a timetable for the move. In a statement, the National Oil Corporation said it could be forced to declare force majeure if the closed valve is not reopened or if other fields face similar shutdowns. The corporation warned that prolonged closures would hurt the national economy and threaten the state's ability to meet its financial obligations.