Libyan oil pipeline attacked, state oil firm confirms

A Libyan crude pipeline owned by the al-Waha oil company, feeding the Es Sider port, was set on fire on Saturday causing the loss of between 70,000 and 100,000 barrels per day.

NOC confirms that a fire broke out on April 21 2018 along the El-Zkout – Es Sider oil pipeline of the Waha Oil Company (WOC), connecting the fields to the Es Sider oil terminal. Initial investigations indicate that the fire occurred 117km from Zkout & 21km from North West Marada.

— National Oil Corporation المؤسسة الوطنية للنفط (@NOC_Libya) April 21, 2018

The state’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) said on its Twitter feed, the cause of the fire on the El-Zkout – Es Sider pipeline was unknown but a Waha source said a “terrorist group” was behind it.

كما تؤكد المؤسسة ان التحقيقات ما زالت مستمرة لمعرفة تفاصيل الانفجار. ويقوم مجلس إدارة المؤسسة الوطنية للنفط بمراقبة التطورات عن كثب والتنسيق مع الجهات المختصة للسيطرة على الحريق واعادة الانتاج لمعدلاته السابقة بأسرع وقت ممكن.

— National Oil Corporation المؤسسة الوطنية للنفط (@NOC_Libya) April 21, 2018

The pipeline was attacked in December. The fire broke out 21km from North West Marada, NOC roughly the same area of the December attack.

Libyan officials have said, the area is frequented by Islamic State fighters.NOC said its fire fighters were on site.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing. There are no reported causalties at the site. The NOC Executive Board is closely monitoring developments & liasing with appropriate authorities to put out the fire and resume production as soon as possible.

— National Oil Corporation المؤسسة الوطنية للنفط (@NOC_Libya) April 21, 2018

Reuters