The petrochemical unit is set to resume full production in the next two days since it was shut down in February for a technical overhaul.
Libya's state National Oil Corporation (NOC) has announced that its subsidiary, the Ras Lanuf Oil and Gas Processing Company, is beginning the restart process of its vital ethylene plant. This development follows the completion of an extensive maintenance program carried out entirely by national technical teams.
The NOC reported that the initial operational phase is already underway, adhering to the strictest safety protocols. This phase included the critical step of introducing naphtha—the feedstock for the process—into the thermal cracking furnaces and operating the main compressor. This careful, phased approach is designed to guarantee the "safe and stable operation of equipment and personnel." The company anticipates that the production of final, standard-specification products will commence within the next two days, marking a major milestone for the facility.
The current restart follows a plant shutdown that began in February 2025. While the precise, immediate trigger for the February 2025 shutdown was not specified in the official announcement, the facility, and the broader Ras Lanuf petrochemical complex, have historically been subject to intermittent closures for both technical maintenance and due to security and political instability that has affected Libya’s oil and gas infrastructure for over a decade.
Prior to this recent shutdown, the complex had seen periods of successful but often challenging attempts at a full operational return. The Ras Lanuf ethylene plant, a key component of the complex, was previously shut down for prolonged periods, including a major hiatus spanning over ten years before its restart in May 2023. These extended interruptions are commonly necessitated by critical maintenance and upgrades needed after years of underinvestment and operational halts, often due to civil conflict and blockades which physically prevent access or starve the facility of necessary operational funds and external technical support.
The February 2025 shutdown was undertaken to conduct the "comprehensive maintenance work" mentioned by the NOC, a necessary measure to ensure the long-term, stable performance of the industrial complex.
Ethylene is a crucial intermediate product in the petrochemical industry, forming the basic building block for numerous plastic and chemical derivatives, most notably polyethylene, which is used in packaging and various other manufacturing sectors. The plant's reactivation is therefore viewed as a strategic move to boost Libya’s industrial capabilities and reduce its dependence on imported intermediate products, contributing significantly to the national economy.
