Libya’s digital oilfield push is linking technology development to production growth, upstream investment and its two-million-bpd production ambitions

Libya is building a digital oilfield strategy around AI, automation and stronger communications infrastructure as the National Oil Corporation  works to raise crude production toward two million barrels per day .

The strategy has accelerated in 2026. The Ministry of Oil and Gas launched its New Energy Tech initiative to connect operational challenges in the oil and gas sector with Libyan engineers, AI specialists, software developers, robotics teams, researchers and startups capable of developing and testing local technology solutions.

These developments will form part of the broader technology and investment agenda at the Libya Energy & Economic Summit (LEES) 2027, taking place in Tripoli from January 23–25,  as operators and investors examine the technical capabilities required to support Libya’s next production cycle.

Technological Innovation Targets Operating Challenges

New Energy Tech is intended to move digitalization beyond technology procurement and into the development of solutions tailored to Libya’s own operating conditions. Energy companies identify specific operational problems, participants develop prototypes, and successful solutions can then be linked to companies for practical deployment, with the program targeting improvements in efficiency, operating costs, emissions and decision-making.

The initiative also reflects a broader push to develop domestic technical capabilities as Libya modernizes its oil sector. Participants include university students and academics alongside experienced engineers, software developers and AI specialists, creating a pipeline between the country’s technology community and its energy industry.

The move follows a major field-level milestone in March, when NOC subsidiary Sirte Oil Company completed Libya’s first fully autonomous AI-powered geosteering operation at the Al-Khair field using SLB technology. The system autonomously guided an approximately 1,800-foot horizontal section within the reservoir, doubling the drilling penetration rate and producing 1,060 bpd.

Building the Digital Oilfield

The Al-Khair operation illustrates how AI is moving into core production activities, but Libya’s digitalization program extends across field monitoring, communications and remote operations. Automated systems can transmit production and equipment data from remote wells to centralized facilities, allowing operators to analyze performance and respond to changes without relying solely on physical field visits.

In December 2025, Aljeel Aljadeed Technology and Hatif Libya launched an Oil Fields Connectivity Project covering more than 200 vital sites, including more than 80 oilfields and ports. The network provides speeds of up to 100 GB per second, expandable to 400 GB per second, and was designed with 5G-ready technology.

The project builds on the NOC’s September 2024 “Toward Smart Oil Cities” agreements with Al-Madar, Libyana and Hatif Libya to modernize telecommunications and digital infrastructure in oil-producing areas. The agreements positioned communications technology as a foundation for smarter resource management, real-time data analysis and more efficient operations.

Technology for Libya’s Growth Cycle

Digitalization is gaining importance as Libya expands exploration, redevelopment and upstream investment. As new projects and operators add complexity to the sector, connected data systems, automated drilling and remote monitoring can give the NOC and operating companies greater visibility across geographically dispersed assets.

LEES 2027 will bring this technology agenda into the wider discussion around Libya’s next investment cycle. Alongside upstream opportunities, infrastructure and production expansion, the summit will examine the technical capabilities needed to execute projects and improve performance across the energy sector.

For Libya, the digital oilfield is therefore becoming part of a broader production strategy. AI-assisted drilling, connected fields, automated monitoring and locally developed technology are being assembled into an operating model designed to extract more value from existing assets while supporting the next generation of upstream development.