The Arabian Gulf Oil Company, which operates the fields, issued the order without providing any explanation, according to the engineers.
A power struggle over control of the Central Bank of Libya has triggered an oil production blockade, raising concerns of a severe crisis for the energy-exporting nation, which has been divided for years between rival eastern and western factions.
The conflict erupted when western factions sought to replace veteran governor Sadiq al-Kabir with a rival board, leading eastern factions to suspend all oil production.
The eastern-based administration, which manages almost all of Libya’s oilfields, is insisting that western authorities retract the CBL governor’s replacement, as control over oil revenue remains a key prize in the ongoing power struggle.
Earlier on Saturday, operations at Libya’s Hariga oil export port ceased due to a lack of crude supplies after the Sarir oilfield, its primary supplier, was nearly completely shut down.
The Sarir field typically produces around 209,000 barrels per day (bpd) while Libya’s total output was approximately 1.18 million bpd in July.
The National Oil Corporation reported on Friday that recent oilfield closures have resulted in a 63% reduction in the country’s total oil production.