Libya suspended production and operations at three oil sites Tuesday after members of the Petroleum Facilities Guards shut a key valve on the Al-Hamada-Zawiya pipeline in the country's west, the National Oil Corporation said.
The Petroleum Facilities Guard is a state-affiliated security force tasked with protecting Libya's critical energy infrastructure.
In a statement, Libya’s National Oil Corporation said the closure caused a sudden increase in pressure along the production lines, resulting in the suspension of operations at the three sites.
The corporation warned that it could be forced to declare "force majeure” if the valve remains closed or if other fields face similar shutdowns.
Prolonged field closures would hurt the national economy and threaten the state’s ability to meet its financial obligations, the corporation also warned.
"This action caused a sudden pressure surge at the Tahara field connection point, resulting in a complete halt to production and operations at the Hamada field (NC8), Tahara field (NC4), and Station NC5," the NOC said.
"Shutting down oil fields and halting production at this critical juncture as the world experiences a surge in crude oil prices deals a devastating blow to the national economy," it added.
The Petroleum Facilities Guard, the company in charge of securing the country's oilfields and pipelines, has often called for shutdowns or blockades in protest over wages and workers' issues.
Libya has the most abundant oil reserves in Africa but has been beset by violence and instability since the overthrow of Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.
It remains divided between the U.N.-recognized government in the capital Tripoli led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and the rival administration in the east backed by Khalifa Haftar.
