Monday, March 28, 2011

Libyan Rebels Control Eastern Oil Fields

The Libyan rebels may be the wealthiest revolutionaries on the planet.

The rebels this weekend took control of the vast oil fields and key oil ports in Eastern Libya.

The main oil ports in Eastern Libya, including Es Sider, Ras Lanuf, Brega, Zueitina and Tobruk are all now in rebel control. Many of the giant oil tanks are full at the terminals, experts believe, because shipments of Libyan petroleum have ceased to move during the fighting.

Ali Tarhouni, finance and oil minister for the rebel government, said Qatar has agreed to market the captured Libyan oil and shipping could resume by the end of this week.

"We contacted the oil company of Qatar and thankfully they agreed to take all the oil that we wish to export and market this oil for us," Tarhouni, a University of Washington economist  who returned to Libya from exile little more than a month ago to join the rebellion, told Reuters.

United Arab Emirates reportedly has also made offers to help sell the Libyan oil.

The main oil ports in Eastern Libya, including Es Sider, Ras Lanuf, Brega, Zueitina and Tobruk are all now in rebel control. Many of the giant oil tanks are full at some of those terminals, experts believe, because shipping Libyan petroleum has ceased during the fighting.

The rebels captured the precious oil fields and terminals after coalition air strikes and the fast-moving opposition force chased Gadhafi's army from the coastal cities of Eastern Libya, retreating more than 200 miles in a single day.

Libya produced 1.6 million barrels of oil per day before the revolt, about 2% of world's oil supplies. Libyan output has fallen off to between 100,000 and 130,000 barrels per day , but Tarhouni said he thinks output could quickly get back to about 300,000 barrels per day.

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