Libya 's crude oil production has fallen below 300,000 barrels a day after disgruntled tribesmen forced the largest oil field in western Libya to halt production, state-owned National Oil Corp. said Tuesday.

Workers at Sharara, which normally accounts for about 20% of Libya 's production, shut down the facility Sunday following threats by desert nomads.

Oil Minister Adbel Bari el-Arousi and NOC head Nouri Berruien visited the field Monday to meet workers in an attempt to resolve the crisis, but returned to Tripoli "without reaching an agreement," NOC said in a statement posted on its website.

"We came to clarify future plans set by the ministry for the region's development and prosperity, but they refused to meet us for reasons unrelated to the sector...Our production on this day is less than 300,000 barrels a day due to the strikes," NOC said.

The production halt is the latest disruption to output in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries member. Three months of labor protests this year shut in the majority of the country's crude production.

An official who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Wall Street Journal earlier Tuesday that the nomads' demands included the granting of the Libyan nationality, which he said may have been refused because some come from neighboring countries.

However, the official said production could soon restart. Unlike disruptions in central Libya , he said the present stand-off is likely to be resolved before long.
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