Zawia’s 4.5 million litre petrol storage tank (No. T-402) collapsed in the early hours of this morning after yesterday’s drone attack set it alight. The tank is still burning this morning, but it is deemed to be under control. The surrounding tanks have been emptied of their fuel.
The attack was condemned by the Ministry of Oil and Gas and the National Oil Corporation (NOC). The NOC declared a state of maximum emergency in the area.
Fire, security and Health and Safety agencies from near and far had assembled to fight the fire as the petrol-filled tank burnt ferociously, billowing smoke high into the sky. Both the flames and the rising black smoke could be seen from miles away.
Firefighters also doused the adjoining fuel tanks in a desperate effort to stop the fire from expanding.
Ministry of Oil and Gas
The Ministry of Oil and Gas strongly condemned what it called ‘‘the series of sinful and repeated attacks on the vital capabilities of the Libyan people, the latest of which was the serious targeting by drones that targeted the oil complex, the Zawia refinery, and the desalination plant, leading to the serious accident that led to the ignition and collapse of tank No. (402-T) of the Brega Oil Marketing Company, with about 4.5 million litres of gasoline in it.
The Ministry of Oil and Gas, while condemning in the strongest terms these criminal acts, which go beyond being a security breach and constitute a direct threat to the national and economic security of the country and the public safety of citizens, affirms the following:
1. Full support to the National Oil Corporation and its full support for the decision issued by the Board of Directors of the National Oil Corporation to enforce the maximum state of emergency in the region, and puts all its capabilities to support the efforts of the fire and safety teams and participants in containing the crisis and containing the damage.
2. The Ministry urgently calls on both the competent security and judicial authorities to open an urgent and comprehensive investigation to uncover the circumstances of these drone attacks, identify the perpetrators and their supporters, and prosecute them to obtain deterrent punishment.
3. The Ministry stresses that oil facilities belong to all the Libyan people and their main source of livelihood, and that their violation or targeting them in conflicts is a red line that cannot be overlooked, and requires tightening security and military protection around all oil complexes to prevent the recurrence of such violations.
4. The Ministry assures citizens that it is following up on the situation of the general stock of supplies, in coordination with the National Oil Corporation and the Brega Company.’’
The Ministry paid tribute and appreciation to the firefighters, safety and volunteers in the field ‘‘who bravely face the fires to protect the nation's assets’’.
The National Oil Corporation (NOC)
The National Oil Corporation (NOC), in turn, ‘‘condemned in the strongest terms the repeated attacks targeting oil assets and facilities in the city of Zawia. These attacks have escalated dangerously in recent days, threatening the safety of the facilities and their personnel, as well as posing potential risks to surrounding areas and infrastructure.
· Last Saturday, Tank 1-7 at the Zawiya Refinery—designated for storing untreated naphtha—was directly hit by a drone. This caused severe damage to the tank wall and created two holes, resulting in a partial leak of the stored product, though no fire broke out.
· Yesterday, the area saw another attack when the Zawiya Water Desalination Plant was directly struck by a drone—the latest in a series of attacks targeting vital facilities in the region.
· This evening, Tank 402-T, operated by Brega Petroleum Marketing Company and used to store automotive gasoline, was directly targeted. The strike ignited a massive fire, leading to the total collapse of the tank. The tank held approximately 4.5 million litres of gasoline, making this an extremely dangerous incident due to the direct threat it poses to the facility itself, neighbouring oil installations, and the surrounding areas.
The Board of Directors of the National Oil Corporation (NOC) confirms that firefighting and safety teams from the Zawia Refinery, Brega Petroleum Marketing Company, and neighbouring oil companies are currently exerting every effort—with courage, dedication, and resolve—to bring the fire under control, mitigate its impact, and prevent it from spreading to other facilities and infrastructure.
NOC declares a state of maximum emergency in the area
Given the gravity and recurrence of these attacks, the NOC Board of Directors declares a state of maximum emergency in the area.
It calls upon the competent authorities to intervene urgently and immediately, launch a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances and background of these attacks, identify and apprehend the perpetrators and those behind them, and refer them to the judiciary to face deterrent punishment in accordance with the law.
The Board emphasizes that protecting oil facilities and their personnel, and ensuring the continuity of production, storage, and distribution operations, is a shared national responsibility; any attack on these facilities constitutes a direct threat to the country's security and safety, as well as to the resources of the people’’.
