Libyan oil field resumes production as global prices soar

After years of silence at one of Libya’s key oil sites, fresh activity is signalling a significant shift for the country’s energy sector as global energy flows adjust to the war in the Gulf.

Oil production has resumed at Libya’s long-dormant Mabruk oilfield, which had been shut down since 2015 due to security concerns linked to Libya’s political instability, bringing a key energy asset back in operation after more than a decade of inactivity, as reported by the Libya Review on March 12.

The restart, initiated by French Energy giant TotalEnergies, marks another step in the country’s ongoing effort to rebuild its oil sector following years of instability.

Its return to operation reflects wider attempts to restore production capacity across a country that reportedly holds Africa’s largest proven crude oil reserves. Oil revenues in Libya hit their highest levels in over a decade in 2025. The resurgence of Libya’s oil industry has arrived at a convenient time for the country, with global oil prices rising due to the US-Israeli attack on Iran.

Operations at the site are managed by Mabruk Oil Operations, a joint venture involving the National Oil Corporation and several international partners. TotalEnergies holds a 37.5 per cent stake in the project.

The revival of the field follows the construction of a new production unit capable of handling 25,000 barrels of oil per day. Work on the facility began in May 2024, with TotalEnergies confirming it officially entered service on 28 February 2026.

Interest from international energy firms in Libya’s oil industry has been rising in recent months. The country’s crude, known for being relatively inexpensive to extract, remains attractive in global markets.

Libya’s oil sector has slowly recovered despite disruptions since the 2011 Libyan Revolution. Political disputes, blockades and security issues repeatedly interrupted production in the years that followed. Due to Libya’s bisected political landscape, oil revenues are often a point of contention between Libya’s rival administrations in Tripoli and Benghazi, with clashes over spending being a common occurrence.

National output has now climbed to about 1.4 million barrels per day, the highest level recorded in more than a decade. Authorities are targeting an increase to 1.6 million barrels per day by the end of 2026.

Earlier in 2026, Libya also signed a 25-year deal valued at more than $20 billion with TotalEnergies and ConocoPhillips, aimed at expanding production capacity and strengthening long-term supply. As Europe seeks to diversify its energy sources in light of the US-Israeli attack on Iran, alongside its shift away from Russia, Libyan crude is becoming an increasingly attractive energy source due to the country’s strategic position in the central Mediterranean.

Libya Review, Maghrebi.org