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Libyan oilfield closures spread out amid standoff between rival federal governments

Numerous oilfields across Libya have actually stopped output as closures spread out, engineers stated on Tuesday, amidst a dispute over control of the reserve bank and oil revenue.

Presidency Council head Mohammed al-Menfi in Tripoli had released a decision to change reserve bank head Sadiq al-Kabir and the bank's board - which the parliament in the east rejected.

On Monday, authorities in the east, where most of the oilfields lie, threatened to close them all, stepping up their standoff with the internationally acknowledged government in Tripoli, which depends greatly on the fields for its earnings.

There has still been no confirmation of any closures from the Tripoli-based government, or from the National Oil Corp. ( NOC), which is in charge of oil resources.

Nevertheless, engineers at the southeastern Amal and Nafoora. oilfields told Reuters production had actually been halted, while. engineers at Abu Attifel, also in the east, stated output was. decreased.

Engineers at the southwestern El Feel oilfield also said. output had actually been stopped. The field, which has a capability of. 70,000 barrels daily, is run by Mellitah Oil and Gas,. which is a joint endeavor between NOC and Italy's Eni.

The government in Benghazi is not globally. recognised, but the majority of oilfields are under the control of eastern. Libyan military leader Khalifa Haftar.

Haftar stated in a declaration on Monday that the reserve bank. should not be tampered with, rejecting what he called illegal. actions taken by entities that lack legitimacy and authority.

Meanwhile, the Tripoli-based prime minister, Abdulhamid. al-Dbeibah, stated in a declaration that oilfields need to not be. allowed to be closed down under flimsy pretexts.

Later, the speaker of the eastern-based parliament, Aguila. Saleh, said that oil and gas flows would stay on hold till. the reserve bank governor resumed his legal duties, to preserve. the wealth of the Libyan people from tampering and theft.

He included remarks to journalism that the visit of. the governor is not within the jurisdiction of the Presidential. Council at all, and what the council did remains in infraction of the. law.

NOC subsidiary Waha Oil Company had said on Monday it. planned to slowly lower output and alerted of a total halt. to Libya's production, pointing out unspecified protests and. pressures, while another subsidiary, Sirte Oil Business, also. stated it would cut output.

The NOC stated force majeure earlier this month at one of. the country's biggest oilfields, Sharara, situated in Libya's. southwest with a capacity of 300,000 bpd, due to protests. The. force majeure is still in force.

Libya's overall oil production had to do with 1.18 million. barrels per day in July, according to the Company of the. Petroleum Exporting Countries, citing secondary sources.

Brent crude costs were down somewhat on Tuesday. trading at about $81 a barrel, after rebounding more than 7%. over the previous three sessions on supply concerns partly. triggered by issues over the impact of Libyan shutdowns.

(source: Reuters)