Libya’s state-owned energy firm said Sunday production had resumed at Al-Sharara oilfield, which provides a quarter of the country’s daily oil output, two weeks after protests led to a shutdown. The National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced the “lifting of force majeure” and the resumption of “full production” at Al-Sharara, which normally produces up to 315,000 barrels per day. The NOC on January 7 declared “force majeure” at the southwestern oilfield “due to the closure of the site by protesters”. According to the protest group, they have received “guarantees” from military strongman Khalifa Haftar, who backs one of Libya’s two rival administrations. Declaring “force majeure” allows parties to free themselves from contractual obligations when factors such as fighting or natural disasters make meeting them impossible.
