Industry and Energy

Home page

Industry and Energy

Oil jumps to highest in more than a week after Libyan shutdowns

20 January 2020 08:34 (UTC +04:00)

Oil prices rose to their highest in more than week on Monday after two large crude production bases in Libya began shutting down amid a military blockade, setting the stage for crude flows from the OPEC member to be cut to a trickle, APA reports quoting Reuters.

Brent crude LCOc1 futures were up by 74 cents, or 1.1%, to $65.59 by 0331 GMT, having earlier reached $66.00 a barrel, the highest since Jan. 9. The West Texas Intermediate CLc1 contract was up by 58 cents, or 1%, at $59.12 a barrel, after rising to $59.73, the highest since Jan. 10.

In the latest development in a long-running conflict in Libya, where two rival factions have claimed the right to rule the country for more than five years, the National Oil Corporation (NOC) on Sunday said two big oilfields in the southwest had begun shutting down after forces loyal to the Libyan National Army closed a pipeline.