A shutdown under armed tension
The security operation, coordinated by the Joint Security Room, targeted wanted individuals in the city of Zawiya. Local security authorities described the intervention as a “security measure against outlaws,” without identifying the groups involved. Despite the complete refinery shutdown and the evacuation of tankers from the port, fuel supply to Tripoli and surrounding areas was not interrupted, according to NOC.
The Zawiya refinery, with a processing capacity of 120,000 barrels per day, is directly connected to the Al Sharara oil field, Libya’s largest, which produces 300,000 barrels per day. This combination forms the main supply point for the west of the country. In December 2024, gunfire had already set storage tanks ablaze, forcing NOC to declare force majeure.
Repeated incidents
Similar disruptions were recorded in September 2025. The Al Sharara field itself has undergone several forced closures, notably in August 2024 after protesters entered the operations room and in January 2024 amid fuel shortage protests.
Faced with this instability, Az Zawiya Oil Refining Company called on authorities to “keep armed conflicts away from vital installations.” The refinery generates about one million dollars per day, according to data reported by The National. With oil accounting for more than 95% of Libyan exports and financing most of the state budget, each shutdown directly weighs on public finances. This takes place in a global market where prices remain sensitive to tensions, as reflected by a recent dip in crude easing fears over the Strait of Hormuz.