Libya's NOC says armed group shuts off pipeline linking Hamada oilfield and Zawiya refinery

​Libya's National Oil ​Corporation said an armed group ‌shut ​a valve on Friday on the main Hamada crude oil pipeline that ‌links the Hamada field to the country's largest refinery, Zawiya, halting flows.

The closure marks the second time this month that ‌oil flows to Zawiya have been halted by an armed ‌group, underscoring the recurring disruptions that Libya's oil sector faces. "The NOC warned that a continued closure would inevitably result in the loss ⁠of approximately ​15,000 barrels ⁠per day of crude oil designated for supply to the Zawiya ⁠refinery," the corporation said in a statement.

It called on the Petroleum ​Facilities Guard, which provides security for Libya's oil fields, to ⁠help reopen the valve. The Zawiya refinery has a capacity of ⁠120,000 ​barrels per day and is connected to the country's 300,000-bpd Sharara oilfield.

Libyan oil output has been subject to ⁠repeated closures for political and technical reasons since the 2011 uprising ⁠against Muammar Gaddafi. ⁠Oil production is Libya's main economic resource, representing approximately 90% of its economy.