Libya Restarts Mabruk Oil Field as Production Recovery Gains Momentum.

Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced on March 1 the restart of the Mabruk oil field in central Libya, reporting initial production of between 25,000 and 30,000 barrels per day (bpd). Output is being delivered through an early production unit designed to accelerate the field’s ramp-up while longer-term operations are restored.

The latest restart follows an earlier resumption in March 2025, when the field briefly returned to production at about 5,000 bpd, ending nearly a decade of shutdown. Operations at Mabruk were halted in 2015 after armed attacks caused extensive infrastructure damage. At the time, the field had been producing roughly 34,000 bpd.

The NOC previously estimated the damage from the attacks at around $575 million. Rehabilitation work has since focused on repairing facilities and restoring production capacity in stages. The current phase aims to stabilise output at higher levels. In parallel, the NOC is targeting combined production of around 40,000 bpd from the Mabruk and Al-Jurf fields.

Third Energy Facility Restart in Weeks

The reopening of Mabruk marks the third energy facility restart announced in Libya in recent weeks. On February 9, the Al-Sarir refinery, operated by Arabian Gulf Oil Company (AGOCO), returned to full capacity following maintenance on its distillation unit.

Shortly afterwards, authorities also confirmed the restart of the Sinawen field after technical operations restored its production capability. The field had remained offline for more than three and a half years.

Libya Pushes Higher Production Targets

Libya is aiming to increase crude output to 1.6 million bpd by the end of 2026, according to statements from the country’s oil and gas minister cited by Agence Ecofin. Current production is estimated at around 1.375 million bpd.

To reach this target, authorities are prioritising infrastructure rehabilitation and new investment in upstream operations. In late January, Libya signed a 25-year development agreement with TotalEnergies and ConocoPhillips covering concessions operated by Waha Oil Company, a subsidiary of the NOC.

According to Reuters, the agreement could mobilise more than $20 billion in investment aimed at expanding production capacity across the concession area. Officials estimate that output from the Waha fields could rise to around 850,000 bpd, compared with current production levels of between 340,000 and 400,000 bpd.

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