Mellitah Complex halts operations after power failure

Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) suspended operations at its Mellitah Gas Complex after a complete power system failure on Friday, according to an official statement released by the corporation.

The shutdown, which occurred in the early evening hours, affected all facilities at the complex, including the main gas processing plant and production at the offshore Bahr Essalam gas field, the NOC statement indicated.

According to the corporation, emergency response teams have deployed backup power systems and initiated restart procedures at both the processing plant and the Bahr Essalam platform. Technical crews are working to restore full operational capacity, though the statement did not specify a timetable for resumption.

The corporation attributed the failure to delayed maintenance and parts shortages, citing ongoing budgetary constraints. “The oil sector faces significant challenges in maintaining critical infrastructure due to insufficient financial resources,” the NOC statement noted.

Mellitah Gas Complex operates as a joint venture between NOC and Italy’s Eni, processing gas from the Bahr Essalam field in the Mediterranean. The NOC has not disclosed specific production volumes affected by the shutdown.