Libya Halts El Feel Oilfield Production After Protesters Storm Key Complex

Libya's oil production has been disrupted after protesters forced the shutdown of the El Feel oilfield, which has a capacity of up to 90,000 barrels per day. The state-owned National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced the halt on Tuesday following a breach at the critical Mellitah oil and gas complex.

Details of the Shutdown

According to the NOC, protesters stormed the Mellitah facility during the early morning hours on Tuesday, compelling operators to stop production at El Feel and partially suspend operations at the Wafa field. The Mellitah complex is a significant energy hub operated as a joint venture between the NOC and Italian energy major Eni.

The El Feel field, under normal conditions, is capable of producing between 80,000 and 90,000 barrels per day. Unscheduled outages of this scale from a key OPEC member can contribute to volatility in global crude oil prices.

Grid Instability and Government Response

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The NOC warned of severe domestic consequences, stating the shutdown has created a "major shortage of fuel and gas" needed for power generation. The corporation expressed serious concern that continued disruption could destabilize the public electricity grid, potentially leading to a "widespread blackout—or potentially a total grid collapse."

In response, Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah directed security forces to retake control of the complex and restart pumping to power plants immediately, a statement from the Tripoli-based government confirmed.

Context for Markets

This incident highlights the persistent operational risks in Libya's energy sector, which has faced repeated disruptions from political and security issues since 2011. For investors and energy markets, unscheduled outages in Libya represent a recurring source of supply uncertainty that can impact global energy balances.