Azerbaijan, Baku, March 14 / Trend, A. Taghiyeva /
Libya intends to announce a tender for the exploration of oil and gas fields in late 2013, Libyan Oil and Gas Minister Abdel Bari Ali Al-Arousi said, Libyan National Oil Company's website reported on Thursday.
The country will invite major oil companies in the world to participate in the tender which will be the first international tender for the last six years, he said.
Al-Arousi also said that Libya seeks to increase oil production from the current 1.5 million barrels per day up to 1.7 million barrels during the current year.
Libyan National Oil Company's report said earlier that in 2012, Libya exported 379.5 million barrels of oil.
During this period, much of Libya's oil was exported to Italy - 139.8 million barrels (36.8 per cent of total exports), China - 48.2 million barrels (12 per cent) and France - 46.8 million barrels (11 per cent). Some 52.6 million barrels were directed for needs of the Libyan domestic market.
Libya is the eighth oil producer in production volume among the 12 member states of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and ranks third in Africa after Nigeria and Angola.
Libya's proven oil reserves amount to 45 billion barrels. The country's oil exports began in 2012.
