Page 10 - AfrElec Week 34

AfrElec FUELS AfrElec

Libya begins loading first condensate

shipment in six months

LIBYA LIBYA’S National Oil Corp. (NOC) has begun benefit from the decision to put more gas into
loading hydrocarbons into a tanker for export at storage for power generation. He also stressed,
the Brega terminal with the intent of carrying out though, that those regions had been under great
its first shipment in more than six months. pressure, owing to the continued blockade of oil
In a statement, NOC said it was using the and gas infrastructure facilities.
Valle Di Siviglia, an Italian registered oil tanker, “Electricity blackouts in the eastern region
to export some 30,000 tonnes of gas condensate. due to lack of gas is one of [the] effects [of the
The vessel arrived at Brega early on August 24, at blockade],” he was quoted as saying in the state-
the request of the company, and began loading its ment. “NOC is continuing to make every effort
cargo soon afterwards. to alleviate the suffering of Libyans in all parts
NOC went on to say that it was sending the of the country. We reiterate our calls to end the
condensate to market in order to free up storage illegal blockade of our facilities so that we can do
capacity available at the terminal. The additional our job and meet local fuel consumption needs.”
capacity will allow Libya to continue extracting The company issued its statement one day
natural gas at the current rate of around 160mn after the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by
cubic feet (4.53mn cubic metres) per day, it Khalifa Haftar, publicly rejected the cease-fire
explained. The extra gas will help thermal power declared on August 21 by the country’s UN-rec-
plants (TPPs) in the eastern part of the country ognised Government of National Accord
increase electricity production and reduce out- (GNA). The breakaway LNA indicated late last
ages, it added. week that it was interested in a truce, a move
It also noted, though, that these volumes that might have led to negotiations on a deal that
would not be sufficient to cover domestic would allow Brega and other coastal terminals
demand. Libya needs another 90 mmcf (2.55 to resume regular operations. (Indeed, Haftar
mcm) per day of gas but cannot obtain it, partly had actually declared the ports and other infra-
because it cannot afford to import fuel and partly structure facilities open on August 19.) However,
because many of its coastal oil and gas facilities it soon shifted course, ostensibly out of concern
remain closed, the statement said. that the GNA was preparing an assault on its
Mustafa Sanalla, NOC’s chairman, com- position in Sirte, the site of another terminal.™
mented that Libya’s eastern regions would

P10 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 34 27•August•2020