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By Jamal Adel.
Tripoli, 7 January 2014:
Sharara oilfield, west of Obari, is expected to begin producing oil at full capacity over the . . .[restrict]next few days following the lifting of a blockade there by protesters over a week ago. Remaining Tuareg demonstrators are causing some difficulties for employees at Sharara, however, as they threaten to resume their embargo if demands are not met.
Hassan Al-Sideek, manager of the Sharara oilfield, told the Libya Herald that around 280,000 barrels of oil were expected at Zawia refinery in the west of the country from the oilfield today. He added that Sharara had produced 60,000 barrels on Sunday and 270,000 yesterday. The oilfield has a production capacity of 350,000 barrels per day.
Sideek explained that the lower rate of flow to Zawia was because of the problems a caused by the more than two months’ suspension of work at the oilfield. He said that normal levels would return once these issues had been resolved. He added that the only factor that could disrupt production at this point was a new surprise decision by demonstrators, noting that their continued presence at the oilfield provided some distractions to oil workers.
Mahmoud Al-Ansari, a member of the demonstrators’ committee at Sharara oilfield, told this newspaper that individuals from his group would stick to their word and close the oilfield again on 14 January if their demands were not met. Defence Minister Abdullah Al-Thinni brokered the deal last week with the protesters for a fortnight-long suspension of their blockade after promising to do everything possible to meet their demands.
Demonstrators are insisting on the removal of Obari’s unelected, old council. There are also a number of Tuareg protestors demanding Libyan National Identity Numbers.
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