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04Oct17


Libya's largest oilfield reopens after 3-day shutdown


Libya's largest oilfield Sharara was reopened by oil guards who shut it down in a protest on Sunday, an official from the oilfield told Xinhua Wednesday.

The source affirmed that the field, located in southern Libya, would resume production officially, with an agreement having "solved the problem of the field closure."

Battalion 30, allied with the UN-backed government of national accord, closed the field to pressure the authorities with the demands for releasing detainees in Tripoli and paying delayed salaries.

They also demanded developing southern cities, and providing fuel and gas supplies to them, as well as supporting health centers.

Mustafa San'alla, chairman of the national corporation of oil, said on Monday in a press conference that an agreement had been reached with the help of elders of the south to reopen the oilfield within hours, but the agreement didn't work until Tuesday night.

San'alla revealed that the one-day closure of the oilfield caused a loss of 14 million euros (16 million U.S. dollars). He also rejected "extortion and pressure against the corporation."

"We will not give in to any demands of protesters who close down oilfields and ports because we are not interested in implementing any demands," San'alla said.

The Sharara oilfield is the largest of its kind in Libya, producing 270,000 barrels per day. It is crucial to Libya's oil output.

The oilfield was reopened last December after it was shut down by oil installations guards, which lasts more than two years.

[Source: Xinhua, Tripoli, 04Oct17]

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