The National Oil Corporation (NOC) has declared a force majeure at the Sharara oil field, effective Wednesday, due to circumstances impeding its ability to carry out crude oil loading operations.
In a statement, the NOC announced that the current conditions prevent crude oil loading, impacting production and halting exports at the Zawiya port. It emphasized that the force majeure will not apply to petroleum production loading and unloading operations and assured stakeholders that normal operations will resume once the issues are resolved.
The "Guardian" reported that Saddam Haftar, son of rogue military leader Khalifa Haftar, attempted to shut down the oil field operated by a Spanish company in retaliation for an arrest warrant issued by Spanish authorities over allegations of arms smuggling.
Saddam was detained briefly at Naples Airport in Italy last Friday after his name appeared in an EU database. Haftar's associates maintain that he was questioned but not formally arrested.
Despite these reports, the NOC accused the local protest group Fezzan Movement, which has previously disrupted operations at the field, of being responsible for the shutdown.
However, Bashir Sheikh, leader of the Fezzan Movement, denied involvement, stating that Saddam ordered the shutdown in response to his attempted arrest.
Barcelona-based newspaper Cronica Global noted that the arrest warrant stemmed from the Spanish police's seizure of military equipment and weapons a year ago, allegedly intended for the UAE but suspected of being diverted to eastern Libya.
