No deal appears to have been reached yet with groups responsible for blocking export terminals in eastern Libya, as the oil crisis drags on.

The National Oil Corporation on 12 September extended a force majeure status on crude export contracts from the Zawiya, Mellitah and Hariqa terminals, which it said it was unable to control.

The monitoring body, which was asked to investigate claims that crude exports were open to corruption when being loaded onto ships, says it found no evidence of wrongdoing.

The Ministry of Oil and Gas says it will set up offices in Zintan, Derna, Ajeelat, Jalu and Zuwara as part of plans to decentralise its structure.

The General National Maritime Transport Company (GNMTC), which owns a fleet of oil tankers, is planning to sell one of its vessels as part of upgrade plans.

The National Oil Corporation (NOC) says that gas discoveries have been made in two areas being explored with international partners.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) says none of its representatives held meetings with groups responsible for blocking oil ports.

The National Oil Corporation has named 47 Libyan and foreign firms which have expressed interest in building its new administrative complex in Benghazi.

Libya's prime minister promises to resolve the oil crisis soon, as the national assembly creates a special committee to negotiate with protesters and output falls under 150,000 barrels per day (bpd).

The Zawiya refinery in western Libya reopened yesterday after it was forced to shut down on Monday by protesters demanding medical treatment, according to local reports.

The body slams the impact of political and regional disputes on the energy sector, and urges the government and local communities to resolve the crisis.

The National Oil Corporation estimates disruption to Libya's crude exports is costing around $140m (LD178m) per day, and says the entrance to the Zawiya refinery and Brega's storage facilities have been blocked.

Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat says that the "groundbreaking" deal involves purchasing Libyan crude and refined products on "favourable terms and conditions."

The Zawiya oil port in western Libya has reportedly stopped work, further crippling the country's crude export capacity.

An expanded cabinet meeting on 29 August covered the impact of plunging oil production on the state budget, which is almost entirely funded by crude revenues.