Shell buys Libyan jet fuel cargo, first export since start of war

A cargo of Libyan-loading jet fuel, reported to be the first jet cargo to load from Libya since the start of the conflict in the country in February, has been sold to Shell for delivery into the company's Shell Haven terminal in the UK.

The 30,000 mt cargo loaded in the port of Zawiya over the weekend of November 19-20, and was sold by UK-based trader Eminent Energy during the Platts Market on Close Assessment process on Monday.

The cargo is scheduled to be delivered into Shell Haven in early December.

The cargo represents the first jet fuel export since the start of the uprising against the Qadhafi regime in February.

Before the start of the conflict, Libya typically exported as much as 200,000 mt of jet fuel from the country's Ras Lanuf and Zawiya refineries.

Sources said that further exports were expected from Libya in the coming weeks, though the actual volumes were uncertain given the status of the oil refineries in the country.

"There should be more coming out soon but it's unclear because of the refineries," said one trader.

The 120,000 b/d Zawiya refinery in western Libya is currently running at 80% of nameplate capacity though it should reach full production in a matter of days, refinery Director Mohamed Al Mabrouk said Monday.

"In a few days we should reach the 120,000 b/d capacity," he said.

--Andrew Bonnington, andrew_bonnington@platts.com

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