Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) has brought the Al-Rashad gas field online with a production capacity of 50 mmcf/d and restarted the Brega refinery and a natural gas processing unit after prolonged shutdowns, the corporation said on October 25.

NOC Chairman Masoud Suleiman announced the opening of the gas field south of Brega to mark the 65th anniversary of the first oil shipment exported from Brega port in 1961.

The field’s production capacity is 50 mmcf/d, and its output is expected to support natural gas supplies for power plants and industrial users.

The NOC also announced the restart of the Brega refinery, operated by Sirte Oil Company, following a major maintenance overhaul.

The work included replacing the catalyst, upgrading control systems, and installing a new control room.

Separately, Sirte Oil Company restarted the natural gas processing unit at the Brega complex after years offline. The unit will process 60 mmcf/d of natural gas for delivery to the gas network instead of flaring, helping reduce emissions and improve resource utilization, the NOC said.