A strike by Libyan security guards over salary payments has forced the closure of the El Feel oilfield, a spokesman from the oilfield told a news outlet.

El Feel is operated by a joint venture owned by National Oil Corporation (NOC) and Italy’s energy company, Eni.

Mohamed El Harari, a spokesman for NOC told reporters: “The field’s security guards are on strike because they complain about a delay in their salary payments.

“NOC paid the salaries to the security forces but they haven’t paid the guards yet.”

The field was closed last year after a group in the Zintan region, which opposes self-declared government in Tripoli, shut a pipeline.

El Feel opened again this year and produced around 100,000 barrels per day (bdp).

It has been estimated the latest closure is likely to reduce national output to below 500,000 bdp.