Tensions are mounting in Libya’s oil sector as a group campaigning against corruption issued a 72-hour ultimatum, threatening to shut down two key facilities near the capital, Tripoli. The Corruption Eradication Movement (CEM) specifically targeted the Mellitah complex, a joint venture between Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) and Italian energy giant Eni.
A halt in operations at Mellitah would disrupt gas supplies flowing through the Greenstream pipeline to Italy, raising concerns about potential energy shortages. Eni declined to comment on the threat, while NOC was unavailable for immediate response.
CEM’s demands are multifaceted, with the primary focus on the removal of NOC Chairman Farhat Bengdara. They accuse him of “violations amounting to the level of crime” and want to prevent him from concluding any further oil and gas agreements. The group also seeks increased job opportunities for young people in oil-rich areas and stricter measures to address environmental pollution.
“If the authorities do not respond to our demands,” declared CEM spokesman Salem Mohamed in a phone call with Reuters, “the movement may develop into civil disobedience.”
This isn’t the first time Libya’s oil sector has been targeted by protests. Since the 2011 uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi, both local and national groups have used oil facilities as leverage to raise their concerns, ranging from demands for a fairer share of oil revenue to calls for broader political reforms.
The group’s ability to follow through on their threats remains uncertain. CEM claims they can shut down NOC’s Zawiya refinery, the country’s largest operational facility with a capacity of 120,000 barrels per day. The refinery is linked to the Sharara oil field, which currently operates under force majeure after being shut down by protesters from the southern Fezzan region last week.
This recent closure at Sharara has already disrupted crude oil supplies to the Zawiya terminal, highlighting the fragility of Libya’s oil production. On Tuesday, Bengdara held a meeting with Fezzan leaders to discuss the implications of the force majeure, but the outcome remains unclear.
