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Tobruk Refinery is a small-scale petroleum refinery with an oil processing capacity of 20,000 barrels per day (bpd) located in the port city of Tobruk (also known as Marsa al-Hariga) in eastern Libya. The refinery is operated by the Arabian Gulf Oil Company (AGOCO), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC). Production started up in 1986. 

Refinery Operations

Current Status: OPERATIONAL - The refinery resumed full operations by the end of 2020 following the lifting of NOC's force majeure on oil fields and export terminals.

Primary Crude Source: Crude oil produced by AGOCO transported via pipeline from eastern Libya oil fields​ (primarily from Sarir, Messla, Nafoora, and other AGOCO-operated fields).

Process Configuration:

• Crude Oil Desalter - removes inorganic salts before distillation
• Atmospheric Distillation Unit (ADU) - main processing unit
• Stabilization Unit - recovers light gases
• Associated infrastructure for LPG production and storage

Main Products:​

• Diesel fuel (major product)
• Heavy fuel oil
• Light diesel
• LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas)
• Gasoline (limited quantity)
• Kerosene

Strategic Expansions

Proposed New Facility: A major 300,000 bpd refinery is planned for construction in Tobruk​

Expansion Details:

• Capacity: 300,000 barrels per day (15x current capacity)​
• Location: 15-hectare site close to the Messla-Sarir oil pipeline​
• Partnership: Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model​
• Status: Under discussion with NOC and AGOCO as of October-November 2024​
• International Interest: Partnership agreements reportedly signed with international companies for Build-Operate-Transfer basis implementation

References

1. Oct 10, 2013. Analysis Report on Libya 
2. Libya Review. Cot 10, 2020. Libya’s Tobruk Refinery Operates at Full Capacity
3. Libya Review. Sep 30, 2020. Libyan Oil Producer Ensures Diesel Crisis Will End When All Oilfields Reopen
4. Energy Capital & Power. Aug 13, 2021. Refineries in Libya by Capacity
5. A. Fadiel. 2023. The Impact of Re-Engineering Maintenance Operations through Time for a Tower and a Heater (A Case Study of Tobruk Petroleum Refinery Libya). Academia. DOI: 10.6084/M9.FIGSHARE.22491244
6. Libya Energy. Oct 9, 2024. Tobruk refinery project at centre of NOC-AGOCO discussions
7. The Libya Observer. Oct 11, 2024. NOC discusses Tobruk Refinery Development Project with Arabian Gulf Company