KEY POINTS
• Libya will increase natural gas production after the National Oil Corporation and Italy’s Eni completed an upgrade of the Bahr Essalam offshore gas field.
• The project is expected to add about 800 million cubic metres of gas annually, supporting electricity generation, energy security, and exports to Italy.
• The development comes as Libya’s oil production reaches its highest level since 2013, reflecting renewed growth in the country’s energy sector.
Libya is set to increase its natural gas production following the completion of a major upgrade at the Bahr Essalam offshore gas field by the state-owned National Oil Corporation, NOC, and Italian energy company Eni.
The completed Sabratha Compression Project is expected to boost gas production by enabling the field to continue operating efficiently under low-pressure conditions, helping to offset the natural decline in output from one of Libya’s most important gas assets.
According to Eni, the upgrade will increase gas recovery by approximately 800 million cubic metres annually, significantly enhancing the country’s gas production capacity.
The additional output is expected to strengthen Libya’s energy sector by supporting domestic electricity generation, improving national energy security, and increasing gas exports to Italy through the Greenstream pipeline.
Located about 100 kilometres northwest of the capital, Tripoli, the Bahr Essalam field is Libya’s largest offshore gas field and has been in operation since 2005.
The project forms part of broader efforts by Libya and its international energy partners to maximise production from existing oil and gas fields while improving the country’s energy infrastructure.
Eni is also advancing two other major energy projects in Libya. These include the Bouri Gas Utilisation Project and the Structures A&E Project, which focuses on developing two additional offshore gas fields.
The latest development comes shortly after Libya’s National Oil Corporation, NOC, announced that the country’s crude oil production had reached its highest level since 2013, moving close to the government’s production target of 1.5 million barrels per day.
Libya Remains One of Africa’s Leading Oil-Producing Nations
Libya remains one of Africa’s leading oil-producing nations, with proven oil reserves estimated at 48 billion barrels as of 2020—the largest on the continent and nearly three per cent of global proven reserves.
Analysts say recent geopolitical tensions affecting global energy markets, including disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, have renewed international interest in Libya’s energy sector after years of limited investment caused by political instability.
The improved production outlook is expected to strengthen Libya’s position as a key supplier of oil and natural gas to both regional and European markets while supporting the country’s economic recovery.
