The National Oil Corporation (NOC) has decided to temporarily halt operations at two of its units, in a precautionary measure to confront an outbreak of the Coronavirus in its sites.
The Zawiya Oil Refining Company said in a statement that work in the company's administrative sites will be suspended from 8 to 17 September this month, noting that employees will be granted emergency leave.
"At the current stage, work will only be limited to those working in shifts, emergency committees, as well as maintenance and emergency teams," the company stated.
Meanwhile, in the eastern region, the Arabian Gulf Oil Company also took a similar step to protect its workers from the pandemic by halting all operations and activities for 30 days, except for the company specialized in oil and gas exploration and production, and operations related to safety and industrial security.
Al-Zawia Company has registered at least one coronavirus infection among its employees, while the Arabian Gulf Oil Company did not announce any cases, explaining that the decision is merely a precautionary measure.