KASSEL, Germany, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- German energy company Wintershall said Monday it wasn't sure how long oil production in Libya would be offline because of a blockade on export terminals.
"Due to the protracted blockade of the export terminals at the coast, Wintershall has had to suspend its onshore production several weeks ago already," the company said in a statement emailed to United Press International. "It is currently unclear when the blockade of the export terminals will be lifted and how quickly production in the Libyan desert can be resumed."
The company said it was producing about 100,000 barrels of oil per day in Libya before civil war erupted in 2011. During the first quarter of 2013, it reached a production level of 85,000 bpd.
The German company said production at the offshore al-Jurf oil field wasn't affected by crises in Libya.
Austrian energy company OMV said Wednesday its oil production in Libya has been interrupted for nearly a month.
Simmering conflict in Libya since civil war ended in 2011 has curtailed the country's oil and natural gas production.
Rival groups in the east of the country announced in early November they declared independence for the region known as Cyrenaica, which hosts some of Libya's key oil terminals. Labor strikes have shut down processing facilities in the west of the country.
