Leak halts production at major Libyan oilfield

Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) said on Saturday that a crude oil pipeline leak occurred near the western city of Zawiya, forcing an immediate halt in production at the Hamada oil field.

The NOC said the leak took place in the southern segment of the Zawiya pipeline, prompting crews to suspend flows from Hamada and keep the Zawiya facility open to reduce pressure in the line.

"Intervention is ongoing to stop the leak, and an investigation is under way to determine the cause," it said, adding that specialised teams have been deployed to contain potential environmental damage.

The leak poses a risk to the surrounding environment, but the NOC emphasised that rapid response measures were taken to mitigate the effect.

Libya, which holds Africa's largest proven oil reserves, has long faced infrastructure vulnerabilities because of conflict and underinvestment in its energy sector.