KEY POINTS
- Libya starts KK gas recovery pilot.
- Project targets 15m cubic feet daily.
- NOC aims for zero flaring by 2030.
Libya’s National Oil Corporation, NOC, has begun pilot operations for a gas utilisation project at the KK station operated by Mellitah Oil & Gas, in a move aimed at recovering gas that would otherwise be wasted through flaring.
The project is designed to capture the full volume of associated gas produced from wells at the station, estimated at about 15 million cubic feet per day.
The initiative forms part of the NOC’s broader efforts to increase the use of locally produced natural gas, strengthen energy supplies and reduce emissions from oil and gas operations.
Under the project, the recovered gas will be transported through a 40-kilometre pipeline to the Abu Attifel field.
At Abu Attifel, the gas will be processed at a natural gas liquefaction plant before being sent towards the Zueitina hub.
The gas will then be connected to Libya’s coastal gas network, allowing it to contribute to domestic energy supplies and help meet demand in the local market.
The planned transportation and processing network is expected to ensure that more of the gas produced alongside crude oil is put to productive use.
Project targets 15 million cubic feet daily
The KK station project is expected to recover approximately 15 million cubic feet of associated gas every day.
Associated gas is produced alongside crude oil during oil extraction. Without adequate infrastructure to collect, process and transport it, producers may have to flare the gas.
Recovering the gas instead creates an opportunity to use the resource for electricity generation and other domestic energy needs.
The project could therefore help Libya make better use of its existing oil and gas resources while reducing losses associated with gas flaring. The NOC said the project represents an important step towards increasing production while reducing emissions.
It is also aligned with the corporation’s target of achieving zero gas flaring by 2030.
Reducing routine flaring would allow Libya to capture more natural gas for productive purposes while cutting greenhouse gas emissions associated with the burning of unwanted gas at oil production facilities.
The move is part of a wider effort by the NOC to improve Libya’s gas infrastructure and increase the contribution of natural gas to the country’s energy system.
The connection of the recovered gas to the coastal network could help improve supplies to Libya’s domestic energy market.
Natural gas is an important fuel for electricity generation, making additional gas supplies potentially valuable for a country seeking to strengthen its power sector.
By directing more locally produced gas into the national network, the project could reduce the amount of usable gas lost through flaring and provide additional resources for domestic consumption.
The initiative also demonstrates the importance of pipelines and processing infrastructure in turning associated gas into a commercially useful energy source. Mellitah Oil & Gas operates the KK station and is involved in the implementation of the gas utilisation project.
The company’s operations form part of Libya’s wider oil and gas industry, which remains central to the country’s economy and energy supply.
The pilot phase will provide an opportunity to assess the performance of the gas recovery and transportation system before further expansion.
If successful, similar projects could support Libya’s efforts to reduce flaring and improve the utilisation of gas produced from its oilfields.
