LIBYA: Libyan council investigates the cause of an explosion on oil and condensate pipelines to the eastern port of Zueitina operated by Zueitina Oil company

Record ID: 359499

  • Title: LIBYA: Libyan council investigates the cause of an explosion on oil and condensate pipelines to the eastern port of Zueitina operated by Zueitina Oil company
  • Date: 3rd April 2013
  • Summary: NEAR AJDABIYAH, LIBYA (APRIL 3, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXPLODED PIPES ON FIRE WITH OIL FIELDS GUARDS STANDING LARGE POOL OF LEAKED OIL VARIOUS OF MEN CARRYING OUT REPAIR WORK ON OIL LEAK WITH EXCAVATORS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF AJDABIYAH LOCAL COUNCIL, MOHAMED ABU SNINA, SAYING: "Now Zueitina and Sirte companies are trying to contain the fire, also the primary investigation showed that it was a sabotage, there is no clear evidence of that but investigations are still in progress." VARIOUS OF MEN WITH EXCAVATORS TRYING TO CONTAIN THE OIL LEAK NEW PIPES ON TRUCK THAT WILL REPLACE DAMAGED PIPES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SIRTE OIL'S OPERATIONS WORKER, MUOSA AL HOTHI, SAYING: "This is a cowardly act, it affects the Libyan people and Libya's wealth. This is the first time something like this has happened in the history of the Libyan people, I call whoever is responsible for the oil fields to concentrate on securing oil and gas lines because it is considered a vital vain of Libyans wealth." VARIOUS OF REPAIRS WORK BEING CARRIED OUT ON THE DAMAGED PIPES
  • Embargoed: 18th April 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Libya
  • Country: Libya
  • Topics: Crime,Business,Industry,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3U3DCQO3G7522T824B38FL9KQ
  • Story Text: Libya investigated on Wednesday (April 3) the cause of an explosion on oil and condensate pipelines to the eastern port of Zueitina, the National Oil Corporation (NOC) said.
    The blast occurred at 10 pm local time on Tuesday (April 2) on a section of the pipeline linking Field 103, which is operated by Zueitina Oil company, to the export terminal, the state energy firm said in a statement on its website.
    Large pools of oil could be seen in the sand around the crude oil pipeline, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of the eastern town of Ajdabiyah.
    It quoted acting NOC Chairman Abdulkasir Shengir as saying there were no casualties and that a crisis committee had been formed to carry out an investigation.
    Head of the Ajdabiyah local council, Mohamed Abu Snina, said that the explosion may have been caused by sabotage.
    "Now Zueitina and Sirte companies are trying to contain the fire, also the primary investigation showed that it was a sabotage, there is no clear evidence of that but investigations are still in progress," he said.
    Oil workers were trying to repair the damage and had cut about 2 metres of the pipeline. A fire was still burning at the condensate pipeline about 5 kms away, although officials said it was smaller than before.
    An oil worker for Libya's Sirte Oil, Mousa Al Hothi, said the explosion was a result of a cowardly act of sabotage.
    "It affects the Libyan people and Libya's wealth. This is the first time something like this has happened in the history of the Libyan people, I call whoever is responsible for the oil fields to concentrate on securing oil and gas lines because it is considered a vital vain of Libyans wealth," he said.
    Ajdabiyah is some 30 kilometres away from Zueitina. Plumes of smoke could still be seen from the town.
    The pipeline also carries crude produced by the Abu Attifel oil field, operated by the Mellitah Oil Company, a joint venture between the NOC and Italy's Eni, and by the Nakhlah oil field, operated by Germany's Wintershall.
    NOC officials have spoken of plans to upgrade Libyan pipelines, many of which are old and need regular maintenance.
    Following the 2011 uprising that ousted Muammar Gaddafi, it took Libya less time than expected to return to oil output close to the pre-war level of almost 1.6 million barrels per day (bpd). But protests have disrupted operations in recent months.
    On Wednesday, Deputy Oil Minister Omar Shakmak said the OPEC member's oil output was at 1.55 million barrels bpd and could reach 1.7 million bpd by mid-2013.
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