TRIPOLI, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) said Wednesday that several international companies have secured oil and gas exploration rights. Five companies from Spain, Hungary, Nigeria, and Italy were awarded exploration blocks in the onshore Sirte and Murzuq basins and the offshore Sirte basin in the Mediterranean, the NOC said. Exploration in Libya had been largely suspended for more than 17 years before resuming in early 2025, Suleiman said. The latest round offered 20 blocks -- nine offshore and 11 onshore -- following seismic surveys and technical studies aimed at attracting investors. Oil and gas exports are Libya's main source of revenue, but output has been repeatedly disrupted in recent years by conflict and political instability.

QatarEnergy has won an offshore exploration licence in Libya, the company said on Wednesday, after Libya’s National Oil Corporation awarded exploration and production rights for offshore block O1 to a consortium led by Eni, the operator with a 60% stake, alongside QatarEnergy holding 40%.

Brigade 444 has announced the arrest of two brothers suspected of involvement in trafficking narcotic pills and tablets. In separate operations conducted in different areas, the unit also apprehended two other individuals accused of dealing crack cocaine, with large quantities of the drug found in their possession. The brigade confirmed that all seized substances were secured as evidence, and the suspects were referred to the Public Prosecution after investigations were completed to proceed with the necessary legal measures.

The Libyan Customs Authority announced today that it had foiled an attempt to smuggle €140,000 out of the country in foreign currency in violation of applicable laws. The smuggling attempt was conducted by three passengers at Tripoli’s Mitiga International Airport. The operation was carried out through joint coordination between the Anti-Smuggling and Narcotics Department and the Internal Security Agency. The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to combating smuggling and protecting the national economy.

Libya's state-owned National Oil Corporation (NOC) has announced U.S. Oil & Gas major Chevron (NYSE:CVX) among the winners of its first oil and gas licensing round in nearly two decades, signaling a major push to revive the country's hydrocarbon sector. Chevron secured an onshore Sirte S4 (also referred to as Contract Area 106) exploration license, reflecting a strategic reentry into Libya's oil sector. Chevron's return aligns with its strategy to focus on high-impact exploration in Africa, following its exit in 2010 following unsuccessful efforts. Libya holds over 48 billion barrels of oil, often high-quality, light-sweet crude, and significant gas resources. Western oil majors are making a comeback to Libya thanks to the country's massive, high-quality hydrocarbon reserves--the largest in Africa--coupled with an improvement in security following the 2020 ceasefire.

The PeninsulaDoha: QatarEnergy won an offshore exploration license in the State of Libya following the conclusion of the “Libya Bid Round”, marking QatarEnergy’s first entry into the country’s upstream sector. The results of the competitive bid process, the first to be held in Libya since 2007, were announced today by the National Oil Corporation (NOC) awarding the exploration and production rights for offshore block O1 to a consortium of QatarEnergy (40% participating interest) and Eni (the operator, 60% participating interest). Commenting on the award, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, HE Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi said: “We are pleased to be awarded this exploration block and enthusiastic about the prospects of Libya’s offshore upstream sector and about expanding our upstream footprint in North Africa.”H.E. Minister Al-Kaabi added: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate the Libyan authorities on the success of this bid round. We look forward to a collaborative and productive relationship, working alongside the Libyan authorities and Eni to deliver a successful exploration program.”Located in the offshore Sirte Basin, block O1 covers an area of approximately 29,000 km² in water depths of up to 2,000 meters.

‎Seven companies were successful in bids for five plots (3 onshore and two offshore) as Libya announced today the results of its first public bidding round for oil and gas exploration‎ in 17 years. The rest either received no bids or the bids presented did not fulfil the NOC’s requirements. This, in turn, will lead to an economic revival that will guide the country towards stability and prosperity, while preserving Libya’s crude oil reserves for future generations. Masoud Suleiman clarified that the success of this round was not limited to the number and size of the companies that secured investment opportunities. It is noted that exploration had been halted in Libya for more than 17 consecutive years.

Hungary's MOL Group is entering Libya's upstream sector through a joint offshore exploration venture with Repsol and Türkiye Petrolleri A.O., marking its latest move to expand its international footprint. Repsol will operate the project with a 40% stake, TPAO will hold 40%, and MOL will take a 20% interest. The deepwater Mediterranean setting plays to the offshore experience of the consortium partners, particularly Repsol and TPAO. MOL has recently signed cooperation agreements with national oil companies in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Libya. The deal also deepens energy ties between Libya and Türkiye, which has steadily increased its economic footprint in North Africa, particularly in offshore development and infrastructure.

Libya on Wednesday awarded oil and gas exploration blocks to foreign oil companies, including Chevron, Eni, QatarEnergy and Repsol, in its first licensing round in nearly two decades as it seeks to revitalise the sector despite ongoing political division. The National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced the winners of its first bid round since 2007, allocating key acreage across the onshore Sirte and Murzuq basins and offshore blocks in the Sirte basin of the gas-rich Mediterranean. The licensing round, in which five of 20 blocks on offer were awarded, follows a 25-year oil development deal last month with France's TotalEnergies and ConocoPhillips. Differences over drilling commitments and participation stakes meant several blocks were not awarded in the latest licensing round, National Oil Corporation Chairman Massoud Suleman told reporters. Libya is targeting a production capacity of 2 million barrels per day (bpd) from current output of around 1.4 million bpd.

Libya awarded oil and gas exploration blocks to foreign firms on Wednesday, including a subsidiary of the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO), in the North African nation's first licensing round in nearly two decades. A consortium comprising Turkish Oil Petroleum Company (TOPC), an international arm of Türkiye's state-owned TPAO, and Spain's Repsol won an exploration license for Libya's C3 basin, the NOC said. Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah (front 4th R) and Oil and Gas Minister Khalifa Abdulsadek (front 6th R) attend Libya's first bidding round for oil exploration in more than 17 years, Tripoli, Libya, Feb. 11, 2026. (AA Photo)Oil and Gas Minister Khalifa Abdulsadek said last month that Türkiye could play a "key role" in offshore energy development in Libya. Libya is one of Africa's biggest oil producers and a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

India plans to open a consulate in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, its ambassador to Libya has said, in a move aimed at expanding diplomatic representation and providing services to Indian nationals in the region. Ambassador Hafizur Rahman Azmi said New Delhi was working towards establishing the mission to facilitate consular services for the Indian community in eastern Libya and to strengthen India’s diplomatic presence in the country. He was speaking during a meeting in Benghazi with Youssef al-Agouri, head of the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Committee in the House of Representatives, according to parliamentary spokesman Abdullah Blihaq. Blihaq said the talks focused on prospects for Libyan-Indian cooperation and ways to develop bilateral ties in political, economic and educational fields, in what both sides described as serving mutual interests and deepening partnership.

Chevron produces crude oil and natural gas; manufactures transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and additives; and develops technologies that enhance our business and the industry. Chevron has a diverse exploration and production portfolio in the Mediterranean and Africa and continues to assess potential future opportunities in the region. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. The reader should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. Unless legally required, Chevron undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

(AA Photo)Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) won two fields, one onshore and one offshore, in Libya’s hydrocarbon exploration and production tender covering 22 blocks, launched for the first time in 17 years. The tender committee affiliated with the NOC said TPAO won the C3 onshore block together with its Spanish partner Repsol. The hydrocarbon-rich country aims to attract major global energy companies back to Libya while increasing daily oil production by 850,000 barrels over the next 25 years. The National Oil Corporation flag and flags of numerous Libyan authorities in the tender held in Libya, Feb. 11, 2026. The NOC previously opened bids for 20 oil blocks, including 11 offshore blocks, but none of the offshore areas received offers at that stage.

Libya has awarded oil and gas exploration blocks to foreign energy companies including Chevron, Eni, QatarEnergy and Repsol in its first licensing round in nearly two decades, as it pushes to revive a hydrocarbons sector crippled by years of conflict and underinvestment. Italy’s Eni and QatarEnergy secured Offshore Area 01 in the gas-rich Cyrenaica zone, deepening a Mediterranean partnership that has expanded steadily in recent years. Libya signed a 25-year oil development agreement worth more than $20 billion with France’s TotalEnergies and US's ConocoPhillips last month. International energy companies have been looking to return to Libya, which has Africa’s largest proven crude reserves. Despite the oil rebound, the country continues to grapple with fragmented governance, heavy public spending and weak fiscal co-ordination between rival administrations.

Libya granted several foreign companies new oil exploration and production licenses for the first time in 17 years on Wednesday, after more than a decade of political instability. The hydrocarbon-rich country is seeking to draw major global energy companies back, while boosting daily oil production by 850,000 barrels over the next 25 years. Libya currently produces around 1.5 million barrels a day, sitting on Africa's largest oil reserves at an estimated 48.4 billion barrels. Last month, Libya signed agreements worth more than $20 billions of investment by TotalEnergies and ConocoPhillips, to increase oil production within 25 years. The National Oil Corporation had opened bids for 20 oil blocks, with 11 offshore, but none of the latter received offers.