LIBYA: Libya's government and federalist rebels reach an agreement to reopen four oil ports including Zueitina

Record ID: 344477

  • Title: LIBYA: Libya's government and federalist rebels reach an agreement to reopen four oil ports including Zueitina
  • Date: 7th April 2014
  • Summary: ZUEITINA, LIBYA (APRIL 7, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ENTRANCE TO ZUEITINA OIL PORT VARIOUS OF OIL FACILITY GUARDS AT ENTRANCE TO THE PORT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ALI AL-QADARI FROM THE GUARDS OF THE OIL FACILITIES, SAYING: "The port of Zueitina was reopened yesterday following the agreement between the political office of Barqa led by Ibrahim al Jathran and the government delegation, and as you see things are normal at Zueitina port." VARIOUS OF STORAGE TANKS AT PORT VARIOUS OF THE MAINTENANCE WORKERS FIXING PIPES VARIOUS OF OIL PIPES AT PORT
  • Embargoed: 22nd April 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Libya
  • Country: Libya
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAED5I0J1ZCF361P909XTD1PUHM
  • Story Text: Libya's Zueitina oil port prepared on Monday (April 7) to load crude on tankers after the government reached a deal with rebels to reopen four terminals that insurgents have occupied since summer.
    The federalist rebels agreed on Sunday (April 6) to end gradually their eight-month blockade of Zueitina, Hariga, Ras Lanuf and Es Sider ports, which account for around 700,000 barrels per day of the OPEC country's crude exports.
    Brent crude fell $1.47 to a low of $105.25 per barrel before recovering to $105.72 by 1256 GMT, after news of an end to the port protest removed some of the supply worries affecting the oil market.
    ."The port of Zueitina was reopened yesterday following the agreement between the political office of Barqa led by Ibrahim al Jathran and the government delegation", Ali al-Qadari from the oil facilities guard unit said.
    Officials say the port was awaiting orders from the state-run National Oil Corp to begin receiving customers.
    Under the agreement with Tripoli's government, Zueitina and Hariga ports were expected to open immediately while the larger ports, Ras Lanuf and Es Sider with around 500,000 bpd capacity, will be reopened in two to four weeks after more negotiations.
    But the manager at Hariga said he had received no confirmation to reopen and would need at least 10 days to prepare for tankers to load crude.
    The remarks from the Hariga manager indicated how technical problems and ongoing negotiations over the two larger ports could still delay a full reopening of the North African state's oil supplies.
    The deal to end the port standoff will be a major boost for Libya's fragile government, which has struggled to impose its authority over a vast nation still in chaos nearly three years after the fall of dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
    Still, the agreement did not address rebels' key political demands for more autonomy or sharing of oil revenues. Details were not clear about what remains to be negotiated over the two larger terminals.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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