The Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) have made calls to prospectively halt loading operations at Libya's eastern Es Sider, Ras Lanuf and Marsa el-Hariga terminals amid strike action over unpaid wages, according to Libyan and shipping sources.
The PFG typically guard the oil terminals and field infrastructure of state-run NOC. But the group is now demanding overdue salary payments covering the better part of last year, and some of 2019. Politically unmotivated PFG demonstrations have typically proven short-lived in the past, with NOC stepping in to resolve the dispute and resume activities.
The eastern branch of the PFG is closely linked with the Libyan National Army (LNA) forces of Khalifa Haftar, and participated in an eight-month January-September blockade of ports in Libya's east-based hydrocarbon-rich ‘oil crescent' region last year.
Shipping sources say that talk of strike action first began at Marsa el-Hariga, with the demonstrations spreading to the other two terminals. It is as yet unclear if the PFG demonstration will result in missed exports. Shipping sources say that the tanker Dubai Hope was originally accepted for berthing at Ras Lanuf terminal, but it remains to be seen if it will be able to proceed with loading.
The potential closure comes just as NOC subsidiary Waha Oil — whose fields' output feeds into Libyan flagship grade Es Sider — said it completed maintenance along the pipeline linking the Samah and Dahra fields with the Es Sider terminal. The repair works, which began on 17 January, were set to reduce Waha Oil production by around 200,000 b/d for 10-14 days.
