The National Oil Corporation declared force majeure on the Sharara oil field after its closure late Saturday evening.
The corporation stated in a letter addressed to foreign partners and customers that the force majeure situation would not apply to the loading and unloading operations of oil production.
The institution announced that it would provide an update once the circumstances that led to the declaration of force majeure had resolved.
Previously, the corporation had announced a partial reduction in production from the Sharara field due to force majeure conditions caused by “sit-ins” by the Fezzan movement.
The Corporation appealed to all parties involved to prioritize the national interest and support its efforts to stabilize and increase production.
Sources confirmed that Saddam, son of Khalifa Haftar, was the one who ordered the closure of the Sharara oil field, which is operated by the Spanish company Repsol. This came after he was informed of an arrest warrant issued against him while returning to Libya from Rome.
The sources added that the Italian authorities informed Haftar of the arrest warrant and an accompanying circular issued by the Spanish authorities, stemming from his involvement in smuggling a shipment of weapons that had been intercepted by the Spanish police several months earlier.
Last summer, Haftar’s forces closed the Sharara field after Spanish police confiscated military equipment and weapons bound for the United Arab Emirates and eastern Libya.
Source: National Oil Corporation + Libya Al-Ahrar