• General State of the Economy
• Energy Resources
• Energy Balance
• Energy Infrastructure
• Education and Innovation
• Ecology and Environment Protection
• References

Source: [1,2,3,4,5]

According to [3] GDP purchasing power parity in Libya reached $70.65 billion in 2020 (101^st in the world), with a steady GDP decline observed over the past couple of years [3,4]. GDP purchasing power parity per capita is lower (140^th in 2020), and decreased from $15 000 in 2018 to $10 300 in 2020 [3,5]. The inflation level increased from 25.9% in 2016 to 28.5% in 2017, in terms of this indicator Libya is 222^nd in the world. In terms of reserves of foreign exchange and gold the country is 31^st in the world, behind Algeria, but ahead of Lebanon. According to the indicator for the average GDP growth in percentage over the last 10 years, in 2020 the country was 99^th out of 206 countries. In terms of public debt, calculated as a percentage of the country's GDP, Libya was ranked 205^th out of 210 countries considered in 2017.

Libya has the largest oil reserves and third largest gas reserves among African countries (Table 1). In terms of tons of oil equivalent, in 2021 proved reserves of conventional hydrocarbons in Libya were: oil – 83%, gas – 17% (Fig.5). The unconventional natural resource matrix looks much different: shale oil (tight oil) – 52.6%, shale gas – 47.4% (Tabl.1).
According to the U.S. Central Intelligence agency and BP, the crude oil reserves in 2021 amounted to 48.36-48.4 billion bbl, and the gas reserves to 1.4-1.5 trillion m³ [3,6]. In the ranking of countries based on the technically recoverable reserves of shale oil, Libya occupies the fifth place with 26.1 billion barrels, shale gas reserves amount to 121.6 trillion cubic feet [7].

Table 1. Fossil energy resources of Libya

*share of the country’s reserves in world total is provided in brackets
**unproved technically recoverable

Libya has a significant potential for the development of renewable energy (Table 2).
The level of solar radiation is very high (5.7-6.3 kWh/m²/ day) and scattered over most of the country. Along the country’s southeastern borderline with Chad, between Kurfa and Muruq district this figure reaches 7.4-7.9 kWh/m²/day [8].

Table 2. Renewable energy resources of Libya

* for the majority of the territory of the country

Wind speed in most parts of Libya is 6.0-7.0 m/sec, and in the southwestern part of the country it can reach over 8.0 m/sec [9]. 
About 8.7% of Libya is covered by agricultural land, and 0.1% is covered by forest [10].

In 2020, Libya produced about 30.09 TWh of electricity, of which 99.9% by fossil fuels, and 0.1% by other renewable energy sources [14].
Libya’s position in the comparative diagram of energy index is shown in Fig. 4.

Libya’s indices based on reserves of oil and gas and their production-consumption ratio, are higher than the world‘s average. However, other indices look less convincing.
In the Global Energy Architecture Performance Index 2017, which is based first on the level economic growth, environmental safety, and energy independence of the country, including access to energy, Libya lost 38 ranking positions over the previous year, and is 105^th in the world.
The country is in the lower half of the ranked list of countries for such indicators as GDP per unit of energy use in 2020 —61^st out of 66 countries considered, while energy consumption per capita is much higher — 38^th out of 127 countries.
In terms of electricity consumption per capita, the country is 67^th in the world, however, for the indicator of combination of electricity production-consumption, Libya is 43^rd in the ranked list of 216 countries.

Map of territorial distribution of the largest infrastructure projects of the fossil fuel sector in Libya is shown in Figure 5. As previously mentioned, Libya has substantial conventional fossil fuel reserves. The largest oil extraction field is an offshore Buori, the production of which is 60 000 barrels per day [13]. Libyan energy infrastructure is mainly concentrated in the vicinity of the field, or on the coast.

Figure 5. Basic Infrastructure facilities of the fossil fuel sector in Libya

Next to every major oil field there is oil storage. For example, Wafa oil Storage, located near the Wafa field, with a reservoir of 220 thousand barrels [14]. In the north, there are seven major oil terminals. The largest of them, Zawiya, 50 kilometers west of Tripoli, has the capacity of 480 vessels per year [15]. Oil and gas fields are connected to terminals via three oil pipelines and one gas pipeline. Export gas pipeline GreenStream, is 520 kilometers long, and supplies gas to Italy since 2003, it is the largest underwater gas pipeline of the Mediterranean Sea [16]. Refining needs are met at five refineries, the largest of which is Ras Lanuf Oil Refinery, with an installed capacity of 220 thousand barrels/day [17].
There are three large natural gas extraction field (Fig.5). The largest gas processing plant is Mellitah Complex with a capacity of 695MMSCFD of Gas sales, 31.000 bbls per day of liquids and 450 metric tons of solid sulfur [18]. Mellitah is also one of the largest gas compressor stations and is being operated by Green Stream and Sirte Oil Company [18]. There is one LNG export terminal  – Marsa El Brega with a capacity of 3.2 million tons/annum [19].
Libya also uses the technology of Floating Production Storage and Offloading Unit (FPSO) – Farwah, Mabruk, with a storage capacity of more than 900,000 barrels and production capacity of 40,000 barrels per day [20].
The map of the territorial distribution of the largest infrastructural objects of electricity production and renewable energy of Libya is shown in Fig. 6.

Figure 6. Energy infrastructure of Libya: Electricity and Renewable Energy

There are ten fossil fuel power plants with a capacity of more than 100 MW each in the country. The largest power plants are – Derna oil power plant with an installed capacity of 120 MW West Mountain gas power plant with an installed capacity of 624 MW, Zawiya combined power plant with an installed capacity of 1440 MW[21,22,23].

According to Scimago Journal and Country Rank the country is 114^th in the world out of 240 countries considered, and 118^th according to the Scientific and Technical journal articles in 2016 out of 197 countries.
Fugro Rovtech Limited and Misurata University are actively involved in the research in the field of unconventional oil. JOWFE Oil Technology is among the leaders of scientific publications among Libyan companies in the field of synthetic fuels.
A large number of Libyan universities conduct research in the field of energy production from renewable sources. In the field of concentrated solar power — Zawia University, Sebha Univerisity and Sirte University. University of Benghazi, Al-Jabel Al-Garbi University and Center for Solar Energy research and Studies have the largest number of scientific publications in the field of wind energy.

A diagram of environmental indices is shown in Figure 8. To some extent the indices represented in the diagram reflect the ecological situation in Libya.
First of all, Libya demonstrates relatively high level of CO₂ emissions in general, and per capita, and the highest methane emissions.
There are also no positive trends in forest conservation. According to The Environmental Vulnerability Index, which is based on years of observations and 50 indicators, which include for example, changing climatic characteristics or the quality of water resources, waste volumes, oil spills and other hazardous substances, etc. Libya is 48^th, and is characterized as "at risk".
 

There are also no positive trends in forest conservation. In this respect Libya has a low ranking place in the Environmental Performance Index in 2018, where the country is 123^rd out of 180 countries is quite significant, because this index focuses primarily on the assessment of the environmental performance of national governments as well as The Ecological Footprint Atlas, where Libya is among the leading ecological debtors. Libya was excluded from the Environmental Performance Index 2020 along with Yemen, Syria as countries whose governments cannot effectively manage environmental problems.

[1] List of sovereign states and dependencies by area / Wikipedia / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sovereign_states_and_dependencies_by_area
[2] List of countries and dependencies by population density / Wikipedia / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_population_density
[3] Libya / The world factbook / Library / Central Intelligence Agency / https://www.cia.gov/
[4] GDP, PPP (constant 2011 international $) / World Bank, International Comparison Program database. License: CC BY-4.0 / Data / The World Bank / http://www.worldbank.org/
[5] GDP per capita, PPP (current international $)/ World Bank, International Comparison Program database. License: CC BY-4.0 / Data / The World Bank / http://www.worldbank.org/
[6] BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2019 - 2022 (PDF) / BP / https://www.bp.com/
[7] World Shale Resource Assessments / U.S. Energy Information Administration (September 24, 2015) / https://www.eia.gov/
[8] Solar resource data obtained from the Global Solar Atlas, owned by the World Bank Group and provided by Solargis / Global Solar Athlas / http://globalsolaratlas.info/
[9] Wind Map / Global Wind Atlas 2.0, a free, web-based application developed, owned and operated by the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) in partnership with the World Bank Group, utilizing data provided by Vortex, with funding provided by the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP). For additional information: https://globalwindatlas.info
[10] Agricultural land (% of land area) / Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. License: CC BY-4.0 / Data / The World Bank / http://www.worldbank.org
[11] Libya / Geography / U.S. Energy Information Administration (November 19, 2015) /http://www.eia.gov/beta/international/
[12] International Energy Statistic / Geography / U.S. Energy Information Administration  /http://www.eia.gov/beta/international/
[13] Wikipedia Bouri Offshore Field / Wikipedia / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouri_Field
[14] Wafa Field / Mellitah Oil and Gas B.V / https://mellitahog.ly
[15] Libyan ports / Tehemu / https://www.temehu.com/
[16] GreenStream BV / Eni GreenStream BV / http://www.greenstreambv.com/
[17] NOC Ras Lanuf Oil Refinery / Industry About / http://industryabout.com/
[18] Mellitah Complex / Mellitah Oil and Gas B.V / https://mellitahog.ly
[19] Marsa El Brega LNG Terminal / A Barrel Full / http://abarrelfull.wikidot.com/
[20] Farwah FPSO / A Barrel Full / http://abarrelfull.wikidot.com/
[21] Derna Oil Power Plant / A Barrel Full / http://abarrelfull.wikidot.com/
[22] Western Mountain Gas Power Plant / A Barrel Full / http://abarrelfull.wikidot.com/
[23] Zwaia (Zwaiyah) CCGT Power Plant Libya / Global Energy Observatory (GEO) / http://globalenergyobservatory.org/

The sources of charts and curves are specified under the images.

For more information about the energy industry in Libya see here