Latest news in Libya? September 17th, 2026

The major developments in Libya centered around the energy sector, infrastructure security, and political negotiations:

The Energy Year

• Gas Expansion Ambitions vs. Field Protests: Minister of Oil and Gas Dr. Khalifa Abdulsadek outlined a plan to nearly double Libya’s natural gas output to 4 billion standard cubic feet per day over the next three to five years. However, domestic tensions flared as members of the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) staged protests demanding that operational and financial control be transferred from the Ministry of Defence to the National Oil Corporation (NOC). The protests led to disruptions and shutdowns at several sitesincluding the Hamada and Tahara fieldsthough the NOC reported overall crude output remains around 1.4 million barrels per day.

  The Energy Year+ 1

• Commercial Discovery in the Sirte Basin: Austrian energy group OMV declared the “Essar” discovery in the Sirte Basin to be commercially viable, signaling continued international interest in developing Libyan hydrocarbon reserves.

  Rigzone

• Political Transition Steps: Following the United Nations-brokered “Smaller Convening” talks, rival political factions continue working through the implementation framework to reconstitute the High National Elections Commission board, aiming to hold national elections under a unified administration.

  UN News – the United Nations