National Crude Oil Production Sees 11% Decline
The national crude oil production dropped to 1,006 kilotons by the end of October 2025, compared to a higher level a year earlier. This 11% year-over-year decline is largely attributed to the temporary shutdown of activities in several oil concessions, mainly for maintenance work, as well as a decrease in production in most operating fields.
This finding is part of the economic outlook report (October 2025) published by the National Observatory of Energy and Mines (ONEM), which provides a detailed analysis of the evolution of the energy sector in Tunisia.
Breakdown of Production Decline
The decline in production affected most oil fields. The most significant declines were recorded in:
- Barka (-82%)
- Nawara (-41%)
- Ashtart (-28%) Other sites also showed notable decreases, including:
- Gherib (-20%)
- Adem (-17%)
- El Hajeb/Guebiba (-13%)
- Halk El Manzel (-11%)
- Miskar (-7%)
- El Borma (-4%) These underperformances reflect both the maturity of certain deposits and the direct impact of activity interruptions decided in 2025.
Production Interruptions
Several concessions experienced production shutdowns during the year. The Cherouq, Durra, Anaguid Est, Jinane, and Benefsej Sud concessions saw their production interrupted since September 23, 2025, due to maintenance work. The Ashtart concession experienced a shutdown between June 27 and July 8, 2025, for the same reasons. The Nawara concession resumed production on May 15, 2025, after a total shutdown that began on May 3, 2025. The Benefsej Sud concession was put back into production earlier in the year, on February 3, 2025.
Positive Trends
Despite the overall unfavorable context, some fields recorded an improvement in their production, partially offsetting the national decline. This is particularly the case for:
- Gremda/El Ain, which shows a spectacular increase of 370%
- Ezzaouia (+45%)
- D.S.T (+35%)
- Bir Ben Tartar (+3%)
- Cercina (+1%) However, these positive developments are insufficient to compensate for the decline observed in the main producing sites.
Impact on Daily Production
The impact of this situation is also reflected in the average daily oil production, which decreased from 29.1 thousand barrels per day at the end of October 2024 to 25.6 thousand barrels per day at the end of October 2025. This decline confirms a structural trend of decreasing national production, reinforced in 2025 by activity shutdowns related to facility maintenance.
Conclusion
According to the National Observatory of Energy and Mines, these data highlight the importance of investments in maintenance, optimization of existing fields, and the relaunch of exploration to stabilize, in the medium term, national oil production.
