Weatherford International, a leading U.S.-based oilfield services company, has officially resumed operations in Libya after a decade-long absence, signaling renewed interest in the country’s oil and gas sector.
The announcement followed a high-level meeting on May 6 between Weatherford’s Deputy CEO Richard Ward and Masoud Suleiman, Chairman of Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC).
During the meeting, Ward reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting Libya’s energy recovery.
“We are fully prepared to deliver our services directly from the field, with initial operations set to begin at the Jalu 59 site,” said Ward.
Weatherford has established its new headquarters in the Hay Al-Andalus district of Tripoli and is set to commence field operations at the Jalu 59 oil site.
The company’s return comes at a critical time, as Libya intensifies efforts to rebuild its oil and gas industry following years of conflict and political instability.
The revival of operations aligns with broader efforts by the NOC to attract international energy partners.
Oil production recently resumed at the Mabruk oilfield after a 10-year shutdown, and Libya’s daily output stood at approximately 1.4 million barrels as of February 2025.
In March, the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) launched Libya’s first oil licensing round in nearly 20 years.
Several major international oil companies, including Eni, OMV, BP, and Repsol, resumed exploration activities in 2024 after years of inactivity.
The NOC has set an ambitious target to raise daily oil production to 2 million barrels within three years.
Achieving this goal will require significant capital investment and enhanced oilfield services capacity—areas where Weatherford is expected to play a key role.
The return of Weatherford is seen as a strong vote of confidence in Libya’s energy revival.
The company’s re-entry is anticipated to bolster oilfield service capabilities and contribute to infrastructure stability and production efficiency.
Weatherford is also in the process of emerging from a bankruptcy reorganization triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the 2025 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Texas, CEO Girish Saligram described the current offshore oil and gas market as “turbulent,” citing headwinds from falling global oil prices.
Despite the challenges, Weatherford’s comeback in Libya signals the country’s growing appeal as it repositions itself as a competitive oil producer in the African energy market.
