By Sami Zaptia.
London, 11 September 2020:
Libya’s state National Oil Corporation (NOC) said it was deeply concerned yesterday about the continued exposure in recent days of Akakus Oil Operation Company’s Sharara field to security breaches threatening the lives of employees and the safety of its facilities.
It reported that an armed group entered the oilfield on Sunday (6 September) with a number of individuals wearing military uniform penetrating the field camp and threatening the field manager. They also occupied workers’ housing and other private property, disregarding the safety measures put in place to protect against coronavirus. The armed group refused to identify itself or the authority under which it was operating.
On the same Sunday, the Early Production Facility (EPF) in the Sharara field was involved in a shooting incident that resulted in the death of an armed individual and the injury of another. The authorities are still investigating.
In a separate incident, another group stole an electrical transformer from the field’s well No. P-1 and the cables of the well (N01), worsening infrastructure damage and further delaying resumption of production in the field.
NOC chairman, Mustafa Sanalla stated: “The reform of the security of our oil facilities must be a top priority. These continuing security breaches endanger the lives of oil workers and put at risk the infrastructure which is the beating heart of the Libyan economy”.
