Libyan Prime Minister, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh
Chaos the new normal for Libya’s oil sector
Hopes for a recovery by the North African oil producer remain in tatters
International confidence in Libya’s oil sector has plummeted following a month-long blockade by one of the country’s two rival governments. The eastern government in Benghazi ordered the blockade of ports and fields in late August to protest against the firing of the chairman of the Central Bank of Libya (CBL), Sadiq al-Kabir, by the western government in Tripoli. This blockade was a civilised affair, completed not by militias storming oil installations but by phone calls from the army of Khalifa Haftar, a powerful warlord allied to the eastern government. Within days, oil production fell from 1.2m b/d to approximately 0.5m b/d. It lasted until 1 October, when UN mediators secured agreement
Also in this section
28 January 2026
The alliance looks to bolster market management credibility by bringing greater clarity and unity to output cuts and producer capacity later in 2026
23 January 2026
A strategic pivot away from Russian crude in recent weeks tees up the possibility of improved US-India trade relations
23 January 2026
The signing of a deal with a TotalEnergies-led consortium to explore for gas in a block adjoining Israel’s maritime area may breathe new life into the country’s gas ambitions
22 January 2026
As Saudi Arabia pushes mining as a new pillar of its economy, Saudi Aramco is positioning itself at the intersection of hydrocarbons, minerals and industrial policy
