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The Az Zawiya Refinery was built by Snamprogetti, Italy in 1974 and commenced production that same year​.  It is strategically located on the Mediterranean coast with direct marine access for crude oil receiving and product export. Initial refinery capacity was 60,000 bpd from 1974 to 1977 and capacity was doubled in 1977 to 120,000 bpd, which remained unchanged until today. At this capacity level, Az Zawiya Refinery is currently Libya's largest operating refinery.

Operation and activities

Az Zawiya is a Topping and Reforming Refinery (simple hydroskimming configuration) equipped with the following units:

• Atmospheric Distillation Units (2): combined 120,000 bpd capacity (2x 60,000 bpd)
• Naphtha Hydrotreaters (2): combined 22,600 bpd capacity (2x 11,300 bpd)
• Catalytic Reforming Units (Platforming) (2): combined 15,850 bpd capacity (2x 7,925 bpd)​
• Kerosene Hydrotreaters (2): Combines 19,300 bpd (2x 9,650 bpd)
• Catalytic Hydrotreater: Capacity: 16,500 bpd
• LPG Sweetening Plant: Recovers LPG from multiple sources (Platforming, Topping, Stabilizers)

Main tehnology licensors are UOP (Universal Oil Products) that supplies catalyst for the catalytic reforming (Platforming) technology and Shell that supplies hydrotreating catalyst and technology for naphtha and kerosene units.

Main Products and Production Rates are described in the following table:

As of November 2024: the refinery is OPERATIONAL at reduced capacity intermittently due to maintenance and infrastructure challenges.

Planned Upgrades and Future Development

A Revamp Project has been proposed, encompassing: ​

• Phase I: Upgrading Hydrotreating and Platforming units; installing naphtha stabilizer and isomerization unit
• Phase II: Additional capacity expansions
• Target Capacity: Increase to 6.14+ million tons per year
• Status: Under discussion; re-tendering of engineering, procurement and construction contracts authorized by NOC

References

1. Makston Engineering. Mar 30, 2019. Azzawiya Refinery Present & Future Development
2. Hydrocarbon Processing. Oct 21, 2020. Libya's troubled oil sector sees new revival
3. Energy Capital & Power. Aug 13, 2021. Refineries in Libya by Capacity
4. Wikipedia. Zawia Oil Refining Company (Page last updated: Nov 6, 2025)
5. S&P Glonbal. C. Mitchell. Sep 24, 2024. Libya's 120,000 b/d Zawiya refinery offline due to fault: sources