In one of his first big tests since taking control of Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC), Farhat Bengdara is attempting to kickstart a long-delayed upstream project in the Ghadames Basin that could unlock as much as 50,000-60,000 b/d of liquids and 90mn cfd of gas (MEES, 31 May 2019).

The North Hamada project on Area 47 is a key part of NOC’s medium-term goal of boosting oil production to more than 2mn b/d, from current levels of around 1.2-1.3mn b/d. But political instability, funding issues and a dispute with the operator, Indonesia’s Medco, has held up development for the better part of a decade. (CONTINUED - 873 WORDS)