Libya ranked fifth among the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) crude exporters to the United States in August, shipping a total of 3.179 million barrels, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration reviewed by Bavijas.
Saudi Arabia topped the list with 12.930 million barrels, followed by Iraq (10.234 million), Nigeria (6.715 million), Algeria (3.853 million) and Libya (3.179 million).
Although Libya remains exempt from Opec’s production quota due to fears of potential disruption, the country has seen a steady rise in both oil output and exports in recent months.
Improved security has encouraged foreign investors to return, reversing years of instability following the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.
The National Oil Corporation (Noc) has also announced multiple new hydrocarbon discoveries this year.
This includes six oil wells that add about 168 million barrels of recoverable crude and more than 52 billion cubic feet of gas.
Libya’s production and exports
Libya’s production stood at around 1.4m b/d in August and rose to 1.522m barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) by early November.
Earlier this year, Noc set an ambitious target of reaching 2m b/d by the end of 2025, though this now seems unlikely.
Still, Libya’s rising output places it on track to surpass Nigeria in the near future, unless Africa’s largest economy resolves persistent fluctuations in its production.
Europe and Asia remain the primary destinations for Libyan crude.
In 2024, Italy, Germany and Spain were the leading importers, with EU purchases valued at $22.8bn. Italy alone accounted for $6.9bn worth of imports.
China imported $2.2bn of Libyan crude during the same period, while Indian refiners—seeking alternatives to Russian supplies amid Western sanctions—have increasingly turned to Libya, alongside Nigeria and the UAE.
Libya holds the largest proven crude oil reserves in Africa, estimated at 48 billion barrels.
This surpasses Nigeria’s reserves of about 38 billion barrels. Both countries’ crudes are prized internationally for being high-quality and low-sulfur, making them highly desirable in global markets.