Libya’s Zawiya oil refinery was shut down and its port evacuated on Friday after armed clashes erupted near the strategic coastal facility, highlighting continued instability around the country’s key energy infrastructure.
The Zawiya Oil Refining Company said it was forced to halt operations and activate emergency procedures after heavy fighting broke out in the surrounding area of the western city of Zawiya, about 60 kilometres west of the capital Tripoli.
In a statement, the company said multiple artillery shells landed inside its premises, including operational zones, during exchanges of fire that began in the early hours of Friday.
“The deteriorating security situation has compelled the company to take urgent and emergency measures to protect employees, oil installations and the environment,” it said, adding that all refining operations had been suspended and oil tankers evacuated from the port.
The refinery, one of the largest in western Libya, has a refining capacity of around 120,000 barrels per day and plays a critical role in supplying fuel to the domestic market. It is connected to oil fields in the south and west through the Hamada–Zawiya pipeline and includes a key import and export terminal for petroleum products.
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The company called on all armed groups involved in the clashes to immediately cease fire and urged authorities to keep fighting away from vital energy infrastructure.
“Oil facilities are the backbone of the national economy and must be protected from any military escalation,” the statement said.
Local sources reported intermittent fighting in areas near the industrial zone, though there were no immediate official figures on casualties or damage to the refinery’s core processing units. The situation remained fluid into Friday evening.
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Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC), which oversees the country’s energy sector, has not yet issued a detailed statement on the shutdown, but has repeatedly warned in the past that ongoing insecurity threatens production stability and export reliability.
The Zawiya refinery has faced repeated disruptions in recent years, with partial or full shutdowns triggered by armed clashes, militia movements, and political tensions in the region.
Energy analysts say the latest incident underscores the fragility of Libya’s oil infrastructure more than a decade after the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi and plunged the country into prolonged conflict.
Despite holding Africa’s largest proven oil reserves, Libya’s production has remained vulnerable to interruptions caused by militia activity, competing political authorities, and infrastructure blockades.
In previous incidents, fighting near Zawiya has led to temporary losses in fuel production, affecting electricity supply and transportation across western Libya, including the capital Tripoli.
The refinery’s shutdown comes at a sensitive time for Libya’s economy, which relies heavily on oil revenues to fund public spending and imports. Any prolonged disruption risks tightening domestic fuel supplies and increasing pressure on the central bank’s foreign currency reserves.
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The United Nations Support Mission in Libya has repeatedly urged armed groups to stay away from oil installations, warning that attacks or military activity near energy infrastructure could have broader humanitarian and economic consequences.
However, fragmented security arrangements and the presence of multiple armed factions continue to complicate enforcement of such appeals.
Residents in Zawiya reported hearing explosions and sustained gunfire near the industrial area early Friday, with some describing panic as workers attempted to leave nearby facilities.
The Zawiya refinery has long been considered a critical node in Libya’s western energy network due to its proximity to import routes and its role in supplying fuel to densely populated coastal cities.
Analysts say repeated shutdowns highlight the lack of durable security guarantees for strategic infrastructure, despite ongoing international mediation efforts aimed at stabilising the country’s political landscape.
As of Friday night, there was no clear timeline for the resumption of operations, with the company stating only that production would remain halted until the security situation stabilises.
The incident adds to a growing list of disruptions affecting Libya’s oil sector, which continues to oscillate between periods of recovery and sudden shutdowns driven by localised violence and political disputes.
