Libya's oil production has risen by more than 50,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) to 885,000 bbl/d after the state oil firm settled a dispute with Germany's Wintershall AG that had slashed production by some 160,000 bbl/d, a Libyan oil source told Reuters on June 19.
Last week, the National Oil Corp. (NOC) said it expected OPEC member Libya's production to recover to 900,000 bbl/d in the short term.
The NOC and Wintershall reached an interim agreement last week on an upstream contract dispute that began earlier this year.
The dispute prompted Wintershall to shut down production at its NC 96 and NC 97 concessions in the Sirte Basin, around 1,000 km southeast of the capital Tripoli.
The dispute also led to a shutdown at other oil fields including Eni SpA's (NYSE: E) Abu Attifel, which shares processing facilities with Wintershall.
"Through Wintershall facilities we can pump the production of other producers like ENI and other operators," the source said, declining to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Abu Attifel, which resumed production on June 14, can pump 50,000-60,000 bbl/d, NOC says.
Libya is targeting output of 1 million bbl/d by the end of July.
The OPEC member is excluded from a renewed output deduction pact struck by OPEC and non-OPEC producers which runs until the end of March 2018.
But rising supplies from Libya are threatening to overwhelm OPEC's efforts to rebalance the oil market and reduce global oil inventories.
Saudi Arabia energy minister Khalid al-Falih signaled on June 19 in a newspaper interview that Libya is unlikely to be asked to join the cut agreement.
"It is inappropriate to pressure Libya to slow the recovery in its production," he told London-based Asharq al-Awsat.
He added that Libya and Nigeria, which is also exempt from the cuts, "shouldn't be considered a threat to the initiative."
OPEC's May oil production was up by 336,000 bbl/d at 32.14 million bbl/d, led by a rebound in output from the two countries.
Recommended Reading
Texas LNG Export Plant Signs Additional Offtake Deal With EQT
2024-04-23 - Glenfarne Group LLC's proposed Texas LNG export plant in Brownsville has signed an additional tolling agreement with EQT Corp. to provide natural gas liquefaction services of an additional 1.5 mtpa over 20 years.
US Refiners to Face Tighter Heavy Spreads this Summer TPH
2024-04-22 - Tudor, Pickering, Holt and Co. (TPH) expects fairly tight heavy crude discounts in the U.S. this summer and beyond owing to lower imports of Canadian, Mexican and Venezuelan crudes.
What's Affecting Oil Prices This Week? (April 22, 2024)
2024-04-22 - Stratas Advisors predict that despite geopolitical tensions, the oil supply will not be disrupted, even with the U.S. House of Representatives inserting sanctions on Iran’s oil exports.
Association: Monthly Texas Upstream Jobs Show Most Growth in Decade
2024-04-22 - Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the oil and gas industry has added 39,500 upstream jobs in Texas, with take home pay averaging $124,000 in 2023.
Shipping Industry Urges UN to Protect Vessels After Iran Seizure
2024-04-19 - Merchant ships and seafarers are increasingly in peril at sea as attacks escalate in the Middle East.