Fires that erupted in several reservoirs at the Zawiya refinery in Libya have been successfully contained, according to Khaled Abulgasem Gulam, spokesperson for the National Oil Corporation (NOC).
Located 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Tripoli, Zawiya houses Libya’s largest functioning refinery, with a capacity of 120,000 barrels per day (bpd).
It is a critical hub connected to the 300,000 bpd Sharara oilfield, one of the country’s most significant oil-producing sites.
In response to the incident, refinery teams began transferring the remaining contents of the affected reservoirs to alternative storage facilities. Earlier on Sunday, NOC declared force majeure after clashes between armed groups severely damaged the reservoirs.
The violence around the refinery remains shrouded in mystery, with no clear information on the parties involved or their motives. Images shared by the NOC on Facebook depicted firefighting teams battling the flames.
Libya’s oil sector, which generates vital revenue for the nation, has faced repeated disruptions from security unrest and political protests since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi during a NATO-backed uprising in 2011.
This latest incident underscores the ongoing instability threatening the country’s economic lifeline.
