Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) has reopened the Brega refinery after maintenance, restoring operations at one of the country’s oldest refining facilities, the state-owned corporation said yesterday.
The refinery has a processing capacity of 10,000 barrels per day but has experienced recurring technical problems because of its age, according to a Libyan Audit Bureau report cited by Reuters.
The reopening coincides with the restart of a natural gas-processing unit at the Brega complex and two methanol plants operated by Sirte Oil Company, marking a broader resumption of industrial operations following maintenance work.
The NOC said the restarted gas-processing unit would allow 60 million cubic feet of natural gas to be transferred into the national system instead of being flared. The announcement did not specify the period covered by that volume, so it should not be interpreted as a confirmed daily supply figure.
Gas flaring involves burning natural gas that would otherwise be captured and used. Recovering the gas could help make more energy available to domestic users while reducing waste from oil and gas operations.
The restart comes as Libya seeks to improve the reliability of its energy infrastructure and strengthen supplies for power generation and industrial activity. Gas availability is particularly important to the country’s electricity system, which has faced repeated disruption.
The NOC also announced that two methanol plants belonging to Sirte Oil Company had resumed operations after maintenance shutdowns.
The country has also been pursuing plans to restore capacity at other refineries. In May, the NOC said it aimed to restart the much larger Ras Lanuf refinery within six to 12 months after reaching an agreement that gave the Libyan corporation full control of the facility. Ras Lanuf has a nominal capacity of 220,000 barrels per day and had been idle since 2013.
&uuid=(email))