Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) said on Wednesday that it is ready to lift the force majeure at the country's largest oil port Es Sider, allowing a tanker on standby to load crude from storage.
The national oil company called on all Libyan parties to support it and urged “foreign mercenaries and armed groups” to leave the oil port immediately.
Recalling the Economic Working Group of the International Follow-up Committee meeting on Libya held on Monday as part of the UN-led Berlin Process, the national oil company said the group reiterated its full support for the NOC in lifting the force majeure on oil exports nationwide.
The NOC stressed the urgent need to restart production as soon as possible to stop damage to Libya's oil infrastructure and to protect the NOC's vital assets from further deterioration and collapse.
In an earlier statement, the NOC warned that some oil wells were damaged irrevocably and could never be repaired and therefore need to shut down.
The company also expressed concerns about bacterial growth in some fields where the characteristics of the oil may change from low sulfur content to a higher rate.
The Libyan government and the western parts of the country have been under attack by warlord Khalifa Haftar’s forces since April 2019.
In March, the Libyan government launched Operation Peace Storm to counter attacks on the capital and recently regained strategic locations, including the Al-Watiya airbase and city of Tarhuna.
Last year, several high-level meetings were held in the German capital to put an end to the Libyan conflict, with the participation of world powers and regional actors. These negotiations are known as the Berlin Process.
According to the EU, this UN-backed negotiation process is the only acceptable way forward because it seeks a peaceful solution based on multilateral talks.
By Sibel Morrow
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr