AGOCO Launches Mesla Environmental Project to Recover Oil and Recycle Water
Oil recovery and water recycling move to the center of field operations
The Arabian Gulf Oil Company (AGOCO) has launched an environmental project at the Mesla oil field that combines oil recovery, water recycling, and waste treatment in a move that could improve operational efficiency while reducing environmental risks. The initiative marks the first project of its kind in Libya’s oil sector and reflects a broader shift toward integrating sustainability into upstream operations.
AGOCO Chairman Mohamed Ben Shatwan reviewed progress during a field visit to Mesla, where the company reported that engineers have already recovered significant quantities of residual crude oil from disposal pits. The work has removed surface oil from several pits, leaving only water behind and lowering the risk of leaks and soil contamination.
The company has also started building an additional evaporation pond to accelerate the reduction of accumulated wastewater. At the same time, new treatment systems will reduce water salinity and produce around 4,000 cubic meters of low-salinity water each day for reuse in field operations. Recycling treated water could reduce freshwater demand while supporting production activities in one of Libya’s key oil-producing regions.
The project also targets oil-contaminated sediments and sand through oil recovery and bioremediation technologies. AGOCO aims to restore environmentally affected sites while following international environmental management practices.
For Libya’s upstream sector, the initiative highlights a growing focus on extracting additional value from existing resources rather than relying solely on higher production volumes. Recovering residual crude from waste pits improves resource efficiency, while water recycling addresses one of the industry’s most persistent operational and environmental challenges.
Sustainability gains importance across Libya’s oil sector
The Mesla project comes as Libya’s National Oil Corporation and its subsidiaries continue to prioritize production growth alongside operational modernization. Over the past year, AGOCO has expanded efforts to improve field performance, increase recovery rates, and introduce advanced technologies across its operations.
Environmental performance has also become a more prominent part of investment decisions across the global energy industry. Companies that reduce waste, recycle water, and improve resource efficiency often strengthen their long-term competitiveness while lowering operating costs.
For Libya, projects like Mesla could also improve the attractiveness of the country’s upstream sector to international investors. As foreign companies return to exploration and field development, environmental management standards increasingly influence project financing, partnerships, and operational planning.
Ben Shatwan described the initiative as a strategic shift in the way AGOCO manages oil resources and industrial waste. The company said it seeks to balance higher production with environmental protection while relying on Libyan technical expertise to deliver advanced solutions for the country’s energy sector.
If the project delivers the expected operational and environmental results, Mesla could become a model for similar initiatives across Libya’s producing fields. Recovering additional oil, reducing waste, and recycling water would support both production efficiency and the industry’s longer-term sustainability goals as the country works to strengthen its position in the global energy market.
