By: OrePulse

An armed group in Libya closed a valve on a crude oil pipeline in the country's Rayayna area on Friday, halting pumping operations and disrupting supply toward the Zawiya refinery, the National Oil Corporation said.

The pipeline carries crude from the Hamada oil fields, designated MN-8 and MN-5, and from the Tahara field, designated MN-4, according to the National Oil Corporation. The state-run company said the sudden valve closure caused pressure in the line to rise, prompting technical teams to halt pumping at 12:30 a.m. to protect the pipeline and production facilities.

The National Oil Corporation said a prolonged shutdown would disrupt about 15,000 barrels per day of crude intended for the Zawiya refinery. The company said the closure threatened the safety of oil infrastructure and the continuity of supply to the refinery, and warned of possible economic consequences for Libya.

In a statement, the National Oil Corporation condemned the closure and called on the relevant authorities, particularly the Petroleum Facilities Guard, to secure the pipeline, reopen the valve and allow pumping to resume without delay. It also called for stronger protection of oil facilities and pipelines more broadly.

The National Oil Corporation did not name the armed group it said was responsible for closing the valve, and no group had publicly claimed responsibility for the incident as of the company's statement.