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Libya’s NOC plans to raise refining capacity to 660,000 bpd
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Upgrades and new refineries aim to cut costly fuel imports
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Plan supports broader push to revive oil sector output
Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) has announced a plan to increase the country’s crude oil refining capacity to 660,000 barrels per day. The information, reported Tuesday, Jan. 13, by The Libyan Observer, was made public by NOC Chairman Masoud Suleiman.
According to the state-owned company, Libya currently operates five refineries with a cumulative nominal capacity estimated at 380,000 barrels per day. However, effective production of petroleum products remains around 180,000 barrels per day. This situation is attributed to technical constraints and the prolonged shutdown of certain refineries, notably the Ras Lanouf facility, which has been out of service since 2013.
To reach the announced objective, the company plans to modernize existing refineries, which are considered partially obsolete. The construction of new refineries, including a large facility and a separate project planned for the southern part of the country, is also mentioned.
The project to increase national refining capacities is part of a goal to reduce imports of petroleum products. According to a report by The Sentry, fuel imports in Libya reached more than 41 million liters per day at the end of 2024, compared to approximately 20.4 million liters per day in 2021.
At the same time, the cost of imported fuel, which is heavily subsidized by the state, rose from an average of $3 billion during the 2016-2019 period to approximately $9 billion in 2024, according to figures from the Libyan Audit Bureau.
Refining reinforcement at the heart of the Libyan oil recovery
As Ecofin Agency reported in October 2025, Libya announced its objective to bring its oil production to 1.6 million barrels per day by the end of 2026. This ambition accompanies the relaunch of crude exploration and production activities, with volumes currently between 1.3 and 1.4 million barrels per day following several years of instability.
In an article published in July 2025, the media outlet highlights that the recovery of oil activity remains exposed to political divisions, the fragmentation of decision-making centers, and legal insecurity.
Abdel-Latif Boureima