By Seraj Essul.
Tripoli, 1 September 2013:
The country’s oil exports have hit a record low since production got back up to pre-revolution . . .[restrict]levels in 2012, with exports down to just 160,000 barrels per day (b/d).
“We are down to 160,000 b/d now, down from 260,000 b/d a few days ago,” head of the Ministry of Oil press office, Tarek Didaa, told the Libya Herald today.
“Most of the fields operated by the Benghazi-based Arabian Gulf Oil Company (Agoco) are not pumping,” he said, “and most of the country’s oil export terminals are not working.” He added that the only two oil ports that were functioning were Zawia and Al-Hariga, near Tobruk.
A week ago, Deputy Oil Minister Omar Shakmak said that Hariga was exporting again, although this was promptly denied by the terminal’s director, Yassin Hamad, who said strikes by the Petroleum Facilities Guard over pay and conditions continued.
Tonight it remained unclear whether operations were fully back to normal at Hariga. [/restrict]
