Drone strikes near Libya’s western oil hub of Zawiya are threatening refinery operations and export flows, with the National Oil Corporation (NOC) warning it could declare force majeure if attacks continue, according to Splash247.
Drone campaign escalates around Zawiya
A succession of drones has targeted energy infrastructure around Zawiya, approximately 40 km west of Tripoli, since the weekend, Splash247 reported. The strikes have hit the refinery complex, fuel storage facilities and the city’s power infrastructure.
The escalation began on Saturday when a drone crashed into an untreated naphtha tank, causing a leak that workers managed to contain. A subsequent attack struck a gasoline storage tank holding around 4.5 million litres of fuel, igniting a huge blaze and eventually causing the tank to collapse, according to Splash247.
NOC then reported another strike near an oil tank and pipeline network used by a blending and filling facility. Additional attacks on Tuesday hit the city’s power plant and refinery area. The company declared a state of maximum emergency as firefighters battled the resulting blazes, and by late Tuesday the fires had been extinguished. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, the report said.
Zawiya’s critical role in Libya’s western oilfields
The Zawiya complex includes a refinery and an export terminal, and it sits at the end of infrastructure serving the country’s prolific western oilfields, making any sustained disruption a potential problem for Mediterranean crude and product trades, Splash247 noted.
| Infrastructure | Capacity / Detail | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Zawiya refinery | 120,000 barrels per day | Libya’s largest operating refinery |
| Sharara oilfield | 300,000 barrels per day | Giant field connected to Zawiya |
| Gasoline storage tank | ~4.5 million litres | Struck by drone, collapsed after blaze |
| Export terminal | Part of Zawiya complex | Handles crude and product exports |
The facility is Libya’s largest operating refinery and is connected to the giant 300,000 barrels per day Sharara oilfield, according to Splash247.
NOC’s force majeure warning
NOC warned that continued attacks could force a complete halt at the 120,000 barrels per day Zawiya refinery and trigger a force majeure declaration. For the moment refinery operations have continued, but NOC’s force majeure warning represents a significant escalation, the report stated.
Libya’s oil industry has endured years of blockades, militia disputes and politically driven shutdowns. The appearance of repeated drone attacks adds another risk to an export system that has rarely enjoyed prolonged stability, Splash247 wrote.
For commodity traders and procurement teams watching Mediterranean crude and refined product flows, the Zawiya attacks add a fresh layer of uncertainty to a supply chain already shaped by Libya’s volatile politics. As Splash247 noted, any sustained disruption at the complex — which sits at the end of infrastructure for the country’s western oilfields — would be a potential problem for regional crude and product trades.
Sources:
