Libya on the brink
Hopes for the UN's unity government are fading, IS is capitalising on the chaos, renewing its assault on energy infrastructure, and the drumbeat for Western intervention is getting louder
A UN-appointed Government of National Accord (GNA) waits in the wings, but genuine unity and security for Libya remain only a distant hope. Fresh attacks by Islamic State (IS) on two oil-export terminals, persistent efforts by the east to win control of the country's energy sector and ever-deepening factionalism mean events on the ground continue to trump diplomacy. Oil production of 400,000 b/d, a quarter of capacity, looks likelier to fall further than to recover. IS' assault on Ras Lanuf and Es-Sider on 5 January showed, again, the group's ability to strike with impunity in the oil crescent. Nine men from the Petroleum Facilities (PFG) were killed in the suicide-bomb attack. Five storage
Also in this section
21 February 2025
While large-scale planned LNG schemes in sub-Saharan Africa have faced fresh problems, FLNG projects are stepping into that space
20 February 2025
Greater social mobility means increased global demand for refined fuels and petrochemical products, with Asia leading the way in the expansion of refining capacity
19 February 2025
The EU would do well to ease its gas storage requirements to avoid heavy purchase costs this summer, with the targets having created market distortion while giving sellers a significant advantage over buyers
18 February 2025
Deliveries to China decline by around 1m b/d from move to curb crude exports to Shandong port, putting Iran under further economic pressure
