The Energy Committee of Libya’s House of Representatives has urged the National Oil Corporation (NOC) Chairman, Farhat Bengdara, to cease negotiations concerning the NC7 Al-Hammada oil field.
In a letter dated October 30, 2024, the committee highlighted the need to safeguard Libya’s sovereign resources amidst challenging security and political conditions, cautioning that these circumstances place Libya in a weak bargaining position with foreign partners, making its resources vulnerable to political bargaining.
The committee referenced the 2024 public budget law, which allocates funds for the field’s development through NOC-affiliated companies, as well as past resolutions barring any handling of national resources until a newly elected government is in place.
Additionally, they cited House of Representatives’ Resolutions No. 15 of 2023 and No. 10 of 2021, which involved the withdrawal of confidence from the Government of National Unity. The committee declared the Energy Council, formed by the interim government, as illegitimate, asserting the need to reassess any ongoing agreements on the field.
In recent months, the NOC’s pursuit of a development deal for the Al-Hammada field with a coalition of foreign companies—Italy’s Eni, France’s Total, UAE’s ADNOC, and Turkey’s energy company—sparked local controversy. This led the interim government to pause the agreement, though discussions have since resumed.
Al-Hammada, an aging oil field located in Libya’s Al-Hammada Al-Hamra region, is managed by the Arabian Gulf Oil Company, a subsidiary of the NOC.
According to the Economic Development Council, the Al-Hamada field holds an estimated two trillion cubic feet of confirmed gas reserves, while Libya’s overall natural gas reserves are approximately 55 trillion cubic feet.
