Wintershall again had to suspend onshore production in concessions C96 and C97 until further notice. With armed hostilities taking place at more and more oil export facilities, the Libyan National Oil Company (NOC) declared Force Majeure in mid-December.
Wintershall traditionally transports oil produced in the Libyan desert to the export facilities in the coastal towns of Ras-Lanuf and Zuetina. Wintershall does not deliver oil to Es-Sider, where export facilities are on fire at this time after intense fighting. Wintershall only resumed production in concession C96 in the eastern Sirte basin at 35,000 barrels per day in September.
Wintershall constantly monitors the situation in Libya. The security of employees, their families, as well as the production facilities is of the highest priority. It is unclear at this time, when production in the Libyan desert can be resumed.
About Wintershall
Wintershall Holding GmbH, based in Kassel, Germany, is a wholly owned subsidiary of BASF in Ludwigshafen. The company has been active in the extraction of natural resources for 120 years, and in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas for over 80 years. Wintershall focuses on selected core regions where the company has built up a high level of regional and technological expertise. These are Europe, Russia, North Africa, South America, and increasingly the Middle East region. The company wants to expand its business further with exploration and production, selected partnerships, innovation and technological competence. The company employs more than 2,500 staff worldwide from 40 nations and is now Germany’s largest crude oil and natural gas producer.