Libya's crude oil production has recovered to nearly 40 percent of its pre-war capacity with exports set to rise as major western fields ramped up output after protesters agreed to reopen them. The fields re-opened earlier this week after being closed since Aug. 27 when an armed group switched off pipeline valves connecting them to the ports.Output has risen to 620,000 barrels per day (bpd), compared with its pre-war capacity of 1.6 million bpd, two state National Oil Corp (NOC) officials said on Wednesday. The restart of the El Sharara field will also liberate Brega oil for exports from the eastern Marsa al Brega port, as it will no longer be needed as a stop-gap for the Zawiya refinery. After the lifting of force majeure at the Mellitah ports, NOC was able to issue a oil sell tender for 1.2 million barrels of very light oil, not the usual Mellitah blend, but a fresh source of revenue.
Libyan Prime minister Ali Zeidan said on Tuesday that the worst disruption to its main industry was costing around $130 million a day in revenues.