A Wednesday blast at a gas plant in Marsa Al Brega killed one worker and injured four company employees, while Libya’s National Oil Corporation said crude production and domestic gas supplies continued.
NOC Chairman Masoud Suleman said an initial assessment indicated gas escaped from a line serving one of the facility’s boilers. Sirte Oil Company operates the plant.
The plant was closed following the blast, and emergency personnel cut off gas flow before suppressing the resulting fire.
Suleman said slow approval and release of maintenance budgets, along with delays to routine work and major overhauls, could hurt equipment reliability. He also warned that postponing tests of safety valves and alarms may make them less effective in emergencies and increase risks to workers.
An investigation into the blast and the facility’s maintenance and safety systems was urged by the energy committee of Libya’s House of Representatives. It said accountability was needed if the inquiry establishes negligence and urged steps to prevent another blast.
