Libya's oil ministry has reached agreement with the country's army chief and defense and interior ministries to secure exporting terminals, Minister of Oil and Gas Dr. Abdulbari Alarusi [Al Arusi] said, after several protests have caused shipping disruptions.
"We have agreed with the defense minister, chief of staff and interior minister to secure the oil ports and the army has sent a force to the port [of Zueitina].
"The technicians in Zueitina need two days to empty the pipes from the water flowing in them when the oil stopped pumping, at which time, when the government provides us with the security they have promised us, oil pumping and exports will resume."
Oil installations have become a focal point of protests in Libya since the summer. No oil has been shipped from Zueitina, which normally exports around 60,000 barrels to 70,000 barrels per day, since the start of January due to local protests that began in December.
A senior Libyan oil source said protesters' threats had affected mainly the shipping of oil rather than gas, because there had been a safe shutdown of the oilfields pumping to the terminal, some 800 kilometers east of the capital Tripoli.
The source added that negotiations with the protesters were still continuing.
(Source: Tripoli Post)
