Two Libyan oil ports closed due to violence - sources

LONDON (Reuters) - Major Libyan oil ports Ras Lanuf and Brega in the east of the country are closed as violence in the area has hampered operations at the terminals, shipping sources said on Monday. Libya's army fought rebels for control of Ras Lanuf on Monday and a rebel official said Muammar Gaddafi could attack oilfields like a "wounded wolf" if the West did not stop him with air strikes.

"Ras Lanuf is not operating. It's the same in Brega," a shipping source said.

A vessel left Ras Lanuf with over 500,000 barrels of crude oil on Saturday, its owner Teekay Tankers told Reuters on Monday. Shipping sources said it was believed to have been the last cargo to have sailed from that port.

Another shipping source said the eastern port of Tobruk was operational.

Sources said crude exports are expected to slow from Africa's third largest producer as falling oil output, the impact of sanctions and rising freight costs hit shipments.

Another source said the oil port of Zawiyah in the west of the country believed to be open, although communications difficulties have meant there was conflicting information.

"Most oil ports appear to be shut and even if not, it's highly unlikely to get an owner to go there, as far as underwriters concerned they are classed as a war zone as of last Thursday," a tanker broker said.

Last week London's marine insurance market added Libya to a list of areas deemed high risk.

Before the turmoil, Libya pumped around 1.6 million barrels per day (bpd). The International Energy Agency said on Friday 1 million bpd of oil production was shut after foreign oil firms evacuated their workers.

Shipping sources said on Monday the general cargo ports of Tripoli, Benghazi and Khoms were operational.

"Discharging is very slow due to a lack of labour and staff but effectively they are open," a source said.