Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) has inaugurated the first phase of the Farigh-Brega gas pipeline, marking a strategic milestone in the North African nation’s efforts to stabilize its domestic energy grid and curb reliance on expensive fuel imports.

The NOC confirmed Friday that the initial 30-kilometer segment is now operational, with technicians having begun gas pumping and pressure balancing to integrate the line into the national network. 

The new section connects the Farigh field at the Zueitina axis to a major 42-inch trunkline within the Sirte network.

Officials expect the pipeline to begin delivering gas to the coastal hub of Brega and the wider national grid by the end of the month.

The project is a central pillar of Libya’s strategy to modernize its power sector, with natural gas currently accounting for approximately 70% of the country’s electricity generation.

In addition to the local gas pipeline focused on boosting domestic energy security, Libyan officials have also been working with their Nigerian counterparts to connect the country to the proposed Nigeria-Morocco pipeline— a major regional pipeline network that would supply gas to Europe.

By increasing gas flow, the NOC aims to displace costly liquid fuels, which have historically strained the national budget through high subsidies.

Beyond electricity, the increased supply will support industrial operations at Brega, a vital downstream hub that houses refineries and petrochemical plants specializing in fertilizer and methanol production.

The Farigh field, situated in the Sirte Basin, is operated by the Waha Oil Company—a joint venture between the NOC, TotalEnergies, and ConocoPhillips. 

Recent expansion efforts and new well additions are designed to push the field's production capacity toward 250 million cubic feet per day.

During an energy summit in Tripoli last year, NOC Chairman Massoud Suleiman emphasized that boosting gas output is essential to averting a domestic energy crisis. 

Libya holds an estimated 80 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves and is targeting a production goal of 2 billion cubic feet per day by 2030.

While the immediate focus remains on domestic stability, the NOC views the infrastructure as a stepping stone toward increasing export capacity to Europe via existing channels like the Greenstream pipeline.