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| Africa North |
| Libya oil crisis deepens as protesters shun talks |
| 2013-10-30 |
| [Al Ahram] Libya's oil crisis deepened on Tuesday after protesters blocking western fields shunned talks and locals denied that an eastern terminal would reopen, frustrating government efforts to end three months of disruptions. Libya's oil exports have dropped to less than 10 percent of capacity or 90,000 barrels per day, Rooters calculations show, as renewed protests this week halted operations at western ports and fields, supporting global oil prices. The head of Italia's Eni, the biggest foreign oil company in Libya and part owner of the Mellitah joint venture, said exports from Mellitah terminal had not been stopped though there was social unrest. Traders, however, said crude oil loading remained suspended from both Zawiya and Mellitah ports in the west. Natural gas exports are carried to Italia via pipeline and sources have said those supplies come mainly from an offshore field and have been steady for the last few weeks. Libyan oil officials were not immediately available to comment on Libyan exports, but Oil Minister Abdelbari Arusi said on Monday overall production had sunk below 300,000 bpd. Any imminent agreement to even partially resume exports appeared elusive. Arusi paid an emergency visit to the western Sharara field on Monday and discussed pay increases with oil workers there. He was forced to leave without a deal, however, after local protesters refused to meet him. "It is regrettable that we return to Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... without reaching an agreement with local protesters," the National Oil Corporation (NOC) website quoted Arusi as saying before he left. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 This is why we have Italians. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2013-10-30 18:07 |
| #1 I hate to say it but our step-child treatment of Libya is not going to end well. The old description of most Islamic countries being "Tribes with Flags" is ringing truer every day. Sad, the country has a lot going for it IF someone really cared enough to make sure Libya doesn't turn into Somalia on the Med. |
| Posted by: Bill Clinton 2013-10-30 11:46 |