Libyan state oil firm NOC will resume flights to the airfield of the southwestern Wafa oilfield on Saturday after state guards ended a blockade, a field worker said on Thursday.

“The problem with the guards has been solved,” he said, asking not to be named.

It was not clear whether a definite deal had been reached. The blockade began on Tuesday.

NOC was not immediately available for comment.

The body of state-appointed petroleum guards said on its website the airport would reopen in a few hours. A little later a spokesman for the body, which is split into different factions, said talks were still ongoing.

The Wafa field produces around 40,000 barrels a day of crude and condensates as well as 400 million cubic feet of natural gas.

NOC said in a statement earlier on Thursday that the protesters were planning to “extort” Mellitah, the joint-venture between ENI and NOC that runs Wafa and other operations, for a "corrupt" contract, without giving details.

“NOC denounces the criminal and irresponsible act which damages the local economy,” NOC said, adding that it would not negotiate under pressure.

Guards, paid by the state to protect oil faculties, as well as other groups regularly seize oilfields to pressure weak authorities into giving them extra pay and benefits, part of the chaos in the OPEC producer since 2011.

NOC and other government entities have agreed in the past to some demands in the end to keep oil and gas exports flowing, Libya’s only source of income.