The gas complex belonging to the Sirte Oil and Gas Production and Manufacturing Company in the city of Marsa el-Brega, eastern Libya, witnessed on the morning of Wednesday, November 11, 2026, an industrial accident that claimed the life of a worker and injured four others, following a fire and subsequent explosion in one of the gas pipelines feeding the steam boilers. This incident has brought back to the forefront concerns regarding the safety of oil facilities and the regularity of their maintenance programs.
The National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced that the accident occurred inside the gas plant belonging to Sirte Company, explaining that the deceased worker was of Arab nationality, while four company employees were injured. It noted that emergency and firefighting teams intervened immediately after the explosion occurred, and succeeded in isolating the gas lines, extinguishing the flames, and securing the area surrounding the facility, before taking a decision to completely shut down the plant as a precautionary measure.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Oil Corporation, Massoud Suleiman, revealed that initial data suggests a leak occurred in the gas pipeline feeding one of the boilers, stressing that determining the final causes of the accident requires completing technical tests and specialized investigations. He explained that repair work may take at least two weeks, depending on the extent of the damage and the procedures necessary to safely restart the plant.
The incident sparked a debate regarding maintenance conditions within the Libyan oil and gas sector, after Suleiman warned that delays in allocating budgets and disbursing necessary financial credits lead to the disruption of periodic maintenance operations and technical tests, including the testing of safety valves and alarm and protection systems, which could expose workers and facilities to increasing risks.
Despite the seriousness of the explosion, the National Oil Corporation confirmed that Sirte Company's other operational activities are continuing normally, and that the accident did not affect gas supplies directed to the local market or crude oil production, emphasizing that the shutdown of the damaged plant falls within preventive measures aimed at protecting lives and equipment.
Residents of the city of Brega reported hearing a loud explosion and seeing thick columns of black smoke rising from the industrial area, before firefighting teams were able to control the blaze and prevent it from spreading to other facilities.
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