Libya’s National Oil Corporation has warned it could declare force majeure and completely halt operations at the Zawiya refinery if drone attacks on oil facilities continue.
The warning came after the NOC reported a third drone attack targeting oil assets in the Zawiya area over Sunday and Monday.
The latest drone reportedly targeted an oil blending and filling plant operated by Zawiya Oil Refining Company. It fell near a major oil storage tank and a pipeline network used to produce oils for Libya’s domestic market. No casualties or material damage were reported from the latest incident.
Authorities have not identified those responsible for the attacks, and no group has claimed responsibility.
Zawiya refinery, located about 40 kilometers west of Tripoli, has a processing capacity of 120,000 barrels per day. It is connected to the 300,000-barrel-per-day Sharara oilfield and is currently Libya’s largest operating refinery, with the Ras Lanuf refinery out of service.
Fuel tank destroyed in earlier attack
On Monday, a fire broke out at a fuel storage tank at the Zawiya refinery after it was struck by a drone, according to Brega Petroleum Marketing Company.
Libya’s oil ministry said the tank belonged to Brega and contained approximately 4.5 million liters of gasoline before catching fire and collapsing.
The ministry said a series of drone attacks had targeted the Zawiya oil complex, refinery and a desalination plant.
The NOC had declared a state of extreme emergency following the earlier attack and called on authorities to intervene and investigate.
Unverified footage posted online showed large flames and heavy black smoke rising above the Zawiya facility.
Despite the attacks, two engineers at the refinery said on Monday that operations had continued without suspension.
An earlier drone incident on Saturday also targeted the facility, crashing into an untreated naphtha tank and causing a leak that refinery workers managed to contain.
