By Ajnadin Mustafa.
Tripoli, 20 July 2016:
Oil exports at Libya’s only functioning oil terminal have resumed following the intervention of the president of the House of Representatives Ageela Saleh.
According to HoR spokesman Abdullah Bilhaig, striking members of the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) suspended their action after Saleh promised them they would be paid back salaries.
They say they have not been paid for five months. They started their strike las week.
As a result of the return to work, the Maltese-flagged tanker Panagia Armata which arrived in Hariga four days ago started taking on oil this morning: 600,000 barrels for delivery to Italy.
However, production of 1000,000 b/d at the Sarir oilfield which feeds into Hariga and which stopped as a result of the strike, will remain on hold for a few days, according to an official from the Arabian Gulf Oil Company (AGOCO) which operates both the field and the terminal.
Despite the reopening and uplifting, holding tanks at Hariga are almost all full. However, it is also alleged that AGOCO was having problems paying staff at Sarir because of cash flow issues. In addition, there is maintenance needing to be done. AGOCO has just issued tenders for gas turbine gearboxes for Sarir.
