Doha - By mid-2012 Libya will have returned to pre-war oil production levels according to OPEC's Secretary General, Abdullah El-Badri, who was speaking at the World Oil Conference in Doha. "Production is increasing very quickly and this has surprised almost everyone," said El-Badri, saying he is sure that "by the end of the second quarter next year, Libya will be producing 1.58 million barrels a day." Last month the Libyan national oil company reported that crude oil production had reached 600,000 barrels a day and that it expected an increase of a further 200,000 barrels a day before the end of the year. According to some estimates, about 10% of Libya's oil infrastructures were seriously damaged during the conflict.
OPEC's Secretary General also stated he is against an eventual European oil embargo against Iran since it would be "extremely difficult" to replace exports from the Islamic Republic.