Libya oil units halt operations due to spread of virus

Two affiliates of Libya’s National Oil Corp (NOC) have suspended some work because of the spread of the coronavirus, they said in statements posted online on Monday.

The country’s biggest refinery, Zawiya, located west of Tripoli, said it had closed its offices from Sept. 8-17, reducing staffing by 10% and placing them on “emergency leave”.

In eastern Libya, AGOCO said it had suspended “all work and activities for 30 days to protect oil workers from the pandemic”, except for operations relating to industrial safety and security.