By Gabriel Harrison.
Tunis, 11 August 2017:
National Oil Corporation (NOC) chairman Mustafa Sanalla was in Tobruk yesterday to assess the future of the Higher Petroleum Institute which used to be Libya’s main institution for training oil engineers. It closed at time of revolution and, despite various moves since then to reopen it, remains closed.
The NOC, however, wants to see it operating again and in June set up a committee headed by Shaaban Agha to carry out feasibility studies regarding its reopening. These include the costs involved and whether the existing buildings are fit for purpose or a new centre needs to be built.
In his meeting yesterday in Tobruk with Agha and committee member Abdullah Al-Hadad, Sanalla confirmed NOC’s intention to reactivate the institute as soon as possible. They discussed the obstacles involved, and the whether or not the institute should continue as before or be developed in other ways.
The committee’s ideas on the use of the existing buildings at the institute’s current location were presented, but it was oted that maintenance work was needed. Alternatives also needed to be evaluated.
