On Tuesday, Libya’s Messla oil field in south Tobruk, has resumed production with output of 10,000 barrels a day to be used for local consumption rather than export, according to sources at the field.
Most Libyan oil production has been shut down since January due to a blockade on exports by forces in eastern Libya. National Oil Corporation was not immediately available for comment.
On Monday, Sheikh al-Senussi al-Heliq Al-Zawi, the Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council of Libyan Sheikhs and Elders offered to end their blockade of the country’s oil production, which has cost Libya over $6 billion since January, as part of a political settlement in the war-torn country.
In a statement, Senussi said they have “reopened the oil ports” and given a “mandate” to Hafter’s forces to negotiate a restart in production.
He said they hope Hafter can “find solutions to ensure oil revenue does not land in the hands of terrorist militias,” referring to forces allied with a rival Tripoli-based GNA government.
Ahmed al-Mismari, a spokesman for the LNA, said they “welcome any popular mandate to protect oil installations.”
The announcement came as Libya’s National Oil Corporation expressed hope that oilfields will start pumping again as foreign powers negotiate with the Tripoli-based government over the distribution of oil revenues in the pided country.
The talks quietly got underway weeks ago, the corporation said, supervised by the United Nations and United States.
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