On Friday, 30 October 2026, the National Oil Corporation (NOC) of Libya suspended crude oil pumping from the Hamada oil fields to the Zawiya refinery after an armed group shut a valve on the main pipeline. The main pipeline carries crude from the north‑western inland fields of Hamada to the refinery on Libya’s northwest coast, west of Tripoli.
The NOC explained that the sudden valve closure caused a sharp pressure spike in the pipeline. Faced with a safety risk, technical teams had to halt the pumping to prevent a potential rupture or spill.
Verifying with an NOC spokesperson, the organization warned that the continued closure could result in the loss of about 15,000 barrels of crude per day. The corrosion of the pipeline’s integrity was described as a risk that could negatively impact both production and supply continuity.
In a statement released overnight, the NOC called on relevant authorities to take necessary measures to reopen the valve and resume pumping urgently. The communication also reiterated the need to protect oil facilities from attacks that threaten ongoing operations.
While the NOC’s statement did not identify the armed group responsible, industry observers noted that the Hamada‐Zawiya corridor has seen intermittent security incidents in the past weeks. Some analysts highlighted that the sudden interruption may also affect the refinery’s input supply, potentially limiting its output capacity for the next 24 to 48 hours.
According to one official from the NOC, the technical teams were monitoring the pressure gauge feed constantly after the valve was sealed. They documented a rapid rise in pressure readings, which immediately triggered the safety protocol to shut down the pump stations.
Several regional oil analysts highlighted that the interruption could affect not only downstream processing but also the supply chain to key markets that rely on the Zawiya refinery’s products. However, they cautioned that the precise commercial impact would depend on how quickly the valve is opened and pumping resumed.
There was no immediate confirmation from the armed group responsible for the valve seizure. The NOC’s call to authorities for a swift resolution indicates a pressing urgency for a political and security response.
In the meantime, the NOC is conducting a safety audit of the affected pipeline segments to assess any damage caused by the pressure spike. The audit is expected to take several days, after which the company will determine whether additional maintenance is necessary before normal operations can resume.
Finally, the NOC’s statement concluded with a plea for cooperation between security forces and the state’s energy sector to safeguard infrastructure from future attacks, underscoring the increasing vulnerability of Libya’s oil production system to armed interference.
