Libya looks to maximise gas opportunity

North African producer plans to boost output by early 2030, with Europe its number one priority as export destination

The chairman of Libya’s state-owned NOC, Masoud Suleman, wants to reduce gas flaring and free up more supply to help power the Libyan economy and use additional gas first to supply European customers and second as an option to export as LNG to more distant markets. Speaking at LNG2026 in Doha, the energy leader said Libya plans to boost its natural gas production in the next five years so as to maximise supply to Europe by the start of the next decade. The country’s current gas production is insufficient to meet local demand, Suleman noted, with around 85% the gas produced in Libya used for power generation. Gas consumption may rise further amid industrial expansion, with Suleman highlightin