Libya's NOC Warns of Force Majeure as Protests Halt Output at Three Oil Fields

Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) has said that production has been suspended at three oil fields after members of the Petroleum Facilities Guard, the force responsible for securing the country's oil infrastructure, shut a valve on the main Hamada-Zawiya crude-loading pipeline.

The state oil company warned that it could declare force majeure — a legal step that would release it from contractual supply obligations — should the valve remain closed or if other fields face similar forced shutdowns.

The disruption is the latest in a series of interruptions to Libyan oil output, which has been repeatedly halted for political and technical reasons since the 2011 uprising that ousted Muammar Gaddafi.

The NOC's statement did not specify how long the closure might last or the volume of production affected. The Hamada-Zawiya pipeline is a key artery for moving crude from inland fields to the Zawiya loading terminal on the Mediterranean coast.

Force majeure, if invoked, would allow the NOC to formally suspend deliveries to buyers without breaching contracts, a mechanism the company has used during previous blockades and closures.

Libya holds Africa's largest proven oil reserves, and its exports are closely watched by global energy markets. Repeated shutdowns have curtailed revenue for the OPEC member, whose output remains well below pre-2011 levels.