One killed, four injured in explosion at Libya gas complex

Dubai: One worker was killed and four others injured after an explosion ripped through a gas processing complex in Libya's coastal city of Brega on Wednesday, triggering a fire that emergency crews managed to bring under control, the National Oil Corporation (NOC) said.

The explosion occurred in a fuel gas pipeline supplying steam boilers at a gas plant operated by Sirte Oil Company in Marsa Al Brega, the NOC said in a statement.

The corporation identified the deceased as an Arab worker and said the four injured were company employees. NOC Chairman Masoud Suleman said preliminary findings indicated that a gas leak in a pipeline feeding one of the boilers had caused the incident.

Emergency and firefighting teams rushed to the facility, isolated the gas pipelines and extinguished the blaze. The plant was shut down completely as a precaution, while crews secured the site to protect workers and infrastructure.

Despite the shutdown, the NOC said crude oil production and gas supplies to the domestic market had not been disrupted.

Concerns over maintenance delays

The NOC chairman raised concerns about delays in approving and releasing maintenance budgets, warning that such setbacks could undermine equipment reliability and workplace safety.

He said delays in funding routine maintenance and major overhauls could affect the operational integrity of facilities.

Suleman also warned that postponing inspections and testing of critical safety systems, including safety valves and alarm devices, could reduce their effectiveness during emergencies and expose workers to greater risks.

The warnings have renewed concerns over the condition of Libya's ageing oil and gas infrastructure, which has faced repeated operational disruptions linked to political disputes and technical problems since the 2011 uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi.

Residents of Brega said they heard a powerful explosion and saw thick black smoke rising into the sky.

Meanwhile, the energy committee of Libya's House of Representatives called for an urgent technical investigation into the explosion, including a review of maintenance procedures and safety systems.

The committee demanded accountability for any negligence established by the investigation and measures to prevent similar incidents.