Algeria’s national oil company Sonatrach states that it will resume its oil operations in Libya. The latter is the first re-entrance of Algerian oils in Libya since the removal of former Libyan leader Anwar Ghadaffi in 2011. Due to the civil war and security issues all operations were suspended by Sonatrach.  The resumption of its operations in Libya was stated by Sonatrach’s CEO, Rachid Hachichi, during a conversation with Libya’s National Oil Corporation’s Chairman Farhat Bengdara. Officially Sonatrach has lifted its force majeure on the Libyan operations already in August. The formal process will start in the coming days in Tripoli as a meeting is planned to formalize the process of re-establishing Sonatrach’s contractual commitments in Blocks 065 and 96/95 in the Ghadames Basin, as well as to explore opportunities to strengthen their partnership. In 2022 NOC and Sonatrach already have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that would enable Sonatrach to resume its activities in Libya, emphasizing the importance of fulfilling contractual obligations and expanding collaboration in oil and gas projects, services and training.

In August Sonatrach was joined by British oil major BP and Italian major ENI, all stating that they will resume their operations in Libya. Libya’s NOC reported at that time that it “received official notifications from the Italian company ENI and the British company British Petroleum regarding the lifting of force majeure and the resumption of exploration and contractual obligations in the blocks awarded to them in the Ghadames Basin (A-B) and offshore Block C”. In the same statement it was mentioned that Sonatrach has notified Libya’s NOC that “exploration and fulfilment of contractual obligations in blocks 065 and 96/95 in the Ghadames Basin” had resumed. In December 2022 NOC already has called on IOCs and NOCs with concessions in Libya to lift the force majeure they had invoked, arguing that the security situation had improved. At the same time, Italian engineering company Rosetti Marino reported that the award of a $300-million contract by Italian oilfield services company Saipem to carry out Engineering, Procurement and Construction services for a project offshore Libya. Rosetti Marino is going to be constructing a Gas Recovery Module (GRM) weighing approximately 5,000 tons, modifying the existing central processing platform to accommodate the new GRM and refurbishing the staff accommodation module. The GRM will be completed in early-2026, as the project is part of a larger $1 billion contract awarded to Saipem by Mellitah Oil & Gas for the development of its Bouri Natural Gas Field project.