France's Total halts some Libyan oil production due to unrest

London (Platts)--23Feb2011/531 am EST/1031 GMT

French oil major Total has started to suspend some of its oil production in Libya where protests against Moammar Qadhafi's rule have killed hundreds, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.

"We started to suspend some of our production capacity," the spokeswoman said without giving further details.

Total produced an average of 55,000 b/d from its Libyan operating last year or 2.6% of its total output.

The company is still in the process of repatriating its employees and their families with operations to evacuate the staff a "priority", the official said.

On Tuesday Italy's Eni and Spain's Repsol both said they had suspended oil and gas production from a number of sites in Libya as a precautionary measure amid the current upheaval in the North African country.

Total is a partner in Repsol's El Sharara field in block NC115 which produces over 200,000 b/d. The company also operates Libya's Mabruk oil field in Block C 17 and the Al Jurf oil field in Block C 137.

Libyan gas supplies to its ex-colonial master and top trade partner Italy were also halted Tuesday.

France is the second largest importer of Libyan crude, according to the International Energy Agency, sourcing a total of 205,000 b/d or 16% of its total crude imports from country last year.

--Robert Perkins, robert_perkins@platts.com

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