Oil and Gas Minister Abdelbari al-Arusi (left), and his predecessor Abdulrahman Ben Yazza during the handover ceremony on November 19.

Oil and Gas Minister Abdelbari al-Arusi, left, and his predecessor Abdulrahman Ben Yazza during the handover ceremony on 19 November 2012.

Speaking at an official ceremony in which he officially took over the Ministry of Oil and Gas, Dr. Abdelbari al-Arusi said the oil sector in Libya has achieved tremendous success by reaching, in a short time, the same output levels as before the uprising.

He attributed this achievement to the hard work of Libyan engineers and oil sector workers at all levels.

He said there will be a bright future for Libyan oil industry and that plans are already made to develop such industry.

Al-Arusi took over as a Minister of Oil and Gas on November 19 from former minister Abdulrahman Ben Yazza.

He is the first oil minister in a first elected government in Libya in over four decades.

Al-Arusi said his ministry will focus on increasing the national reserves of petroleum products so as to meet the local market needs for long terms.

He stressed the need to fight corruption in all its forms.

Al-Arusi also stressed that, “towns and regions that are located near oil fields and other oil facilities will be protected from the negative aspects of the oil and gas industry and modern technology should be introduced to the process as a whole.

“This is a big responsibility. We will try our best to push Libya to its new future," Arusi said after he was sworn in as minister at a government handover ceremony last week.

"Right now (in the oil sector) the target is to maintain the production rate and increase that next year."

Colleagues underlined the fact he was very good on both the technical and administrative side of the job.