Libyan state oil firm Agoco started up a new field this week which has the potential to produce up to 40,000 b/d “once budgets are in place for the oil sector.” The Tahara field saw first output on 21 February at around 2,500 b/d and is expected to reach 14,000 b/d and in the first phase, alongside 6mn cfd of gas for onsite power generation. Swiss firm SGS was involved in the construction of the project.

Parent firm NOC says Agoco had no choice but to push ahead with a “fast track development” of Tahara – which lies on Ghadames Basin’s NC-4 permit – “in the absence of sufficient budgets for full development.” A similar model was used for Agoco’s nearby Sinawin fields project which saw a first 10,000 b/d phase startup in 2020 (MEES, 6 November 2020). Full production of 50,000 b/d has yet to materialize, however. (CONTINUED - 357 WORDS)