Libya’s Minister of Oil and Gas, Khalifa Abdul Sadiq, recently met with Qatar’s Minister of Energy, Saad Al-Kaabi, to explore opportunities for strengthening bilateral cooperation in the energy sector. The discussions focused on leveraging Qatar’s established expertise in natural gas production, cutting-edge manufacturing technologies and renewable energy investments, marking the beginning of a renewed phase of collaboration between the two countries.
Qatar-Libya Gas Cooperation
With approximately 52 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves, Libya aims to harness this potential and is targeting a production of 4 billion cubic feet of gas per day over the next three to five years, supported by new exploration initiatives. In April, Sirte Oil announced a significant gas discovery southeast of the Al-Lahib field, with the potential to yield around 16.8 million cubic feet per day. Libya is also advancing key gas projects to boost both domestic consumption and export capabilities, including the Structures A&E Project led by Mellitah Oil & Gas, a joint venture between Italy’s Eni and Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC), which aims to produce 750 million cubic feet per day by 2026.
As one of the world’s leading LNG producers, accounting for 20% of global supply, Qatar brings extensive experience in the gas industry. By leveraging Qatari expertise, Libya can adopt best practices in efficient gas extraction, processing, and LNG export, enhancing the sector’s overall capacity. With its substantial investments in oil and gas technologies, Qatar can offer technical support and advisory services to Libya’s NOC. This collaboration may include implementing advanced digital tools, automating production processes, and deploying sophisticated monitoring systems.
Collaborative Investments in Renewables
Beyond traditional oil and gas sector collaboration, the meeting highlighted the importance of exploring joint investments in renewable energy. Both countries are committed to diversifying their energy portfolios and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Qatar’s National Renewable Energy Strategy aims to generate 4 GW of solar photovoltaic power, increasing the share of renewables in its energy mix from 5% to 18% by 2030, while also developing 200 MW of additional diversified solar energy systems.
Under its Strategic Plan for Renewable Energy, Libya aims to achieve a 10% share of renewables in its energy mix by 2025 and 30% by 2030. The General Electricity Company of Libya is currently developing the 500 MW Sadada solar PV park in partnership with TotalEnergies, which is set to become the country’s largest solar project, utilizing advanced technology and up to 1.2 million solar panels. With a target of 4 GW of renewable energy by 2035, Libya presents attractive opportunities and strong government support for collaboration with Qatar, with the recent meeting opening the door to large-scale renewable initiatives. Strengthened cooperation with Qatar could facilitate knowledge exchange, financial support and technology transfer, contributing to economic stabilization and reducing vulnerability to fluctuations in global oil prices.
The Libya Energy & Economic Summit is set to take place in Tripoli on January 18-19, 2025. The event will bring together industry leaders, investors and policymakers, aiming to foster dialogue, secure investments and support the growth of Libya’s energy and infrastructure sectors. For more information, visit Libya Energy and Economic Summit | Libya | 18-19 January 2025
