Ra's Lanuf
Encyclopedia
Ra's Lanuf ˌrɑːs ləˈnuːf ( , also: Ra’s al-Unūf ) is a Mediterranean town in northern Libya
, on the Gulf of Sidra
. The town is also home to the Ra's Lanuf Refinery, completed in 1984, with a crude oil refining capacity of 220000 oilbbl/d. The oil refinery
is operated by the Ra's Lanuf Oil & Gas Processing Company, a subsidiary of the state-owned National Oil Corporation
. Additionally, the city houses the Ra's Lanuf petrochemical complex – a major oil terminal – and oil pipelines: the Amal–Ra's Lanuf, the Messla–Ra's Lanuf, and the Defa-Ra's Lanuf pipeline. As of 23 August 2011, Ra's Lanuf is under control by anti-Gaddafi forces.
, while others place Arae Philaenorum near Ra's Lanuf, and the modern Italian
commemorative arch recording the Philaeni also stands there.
and Ra's Lanuf Higher Committee to accommodate employees of the nearby oil industries, and envisaged for 40,000 inhabitants. The general design of the town layout was to be linear, following the coast and allowing extensive views and easy physical connection with the sea from all parts of town.
The town's structure was based on a functional hierarchy, containing three centers forming public zones with community facilities extending to the Mediterranean coast; these are in turn surrounded by high-rise housing blocks. A pedestrian route links different public, commercial, and recreational facilities to residential areas. The project was carried out by Devecon Engineers and Architects.
and a counter-offensive by government forces opened the second phase of the battle of Ra's Lanuf. After a heavy bombardment from air, land, and sea the government forces retook the city on 10 March. On 27 March rebels retook control of Ra's Lanuf as part of a rapid advance as 24 hours earlier they had retaken the strategic towns of Brega
and Ajdabiya
, but within a matter of days rebel forces retreated from the city once more in the face of a government counter-offensive. On 23 August, rebels recaptured Ra's Lanuf from government loyalists and continued to advance towards Bin Jawad
and Sirte
.
that in the North Africa Campaign in World War II
in the night of 1 April 1941 Allied bomber aircraft heavily attacked German/Italian motor transport at Ra's Lanuf and destroyed many vehicles.
, Ra's Lanuf was part of Tripolitania
. Under Italy after 1934, Ra's Lanuf was part of the Misrata Province, then occupied by the British as again part of Tripolitania. In 1983 it became part of the Bin Jawad District. Since 1987, it has been under the Sirte District.
plant, a polyethylene
plant, plant utilities, and the Port of Ra's Lanuf . The Port of Ra's Lanuf consists of a small harbor, operated by the Veba Oil Company and RASCO
. Its primary activities include loading crude oil and oil products. It has a maximum draft
of 22 meters and is about 385 kilometres (239.2 mi) east of the Benina International Airport
.
Ra's Lanuf is the terminus of the 251 km (156 mi) Defa-Ra's Lanuf oil pipeline and the 427 km (265.3 mi) Majid-Nafora-Amal-Ra's Lanuf oil pipeline.
Ra's Lanuf has two airports: Ra's Lanuf Oil
(Code:HLNF) and Matratin (Code:FR3803).
Ra's Lanuf is to be a station on the new national railway system of Libya. In addition it is to be a construction base for the section to be built by Russian engineers, with a port for the delivery of supplies. The port will be connected to the base by a 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) branch line.
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, on the Gulf of Sidra
Gulf of Sidra
Gulf of Sidra is a body of water in the Mediterranean Sea on the northern coast of Libya; it is also known as Gulf of Sirte or the Great Sirte or Greater Syrtis .- Geography :The Gulf of Sidra has been a major centre for tuna fishing in the Mediterranean for centuries...
. The town is also home to the Ra's Lanuf Refinery, completed in 1984, with a crude oil refining capacity of 220000 oilbbl/d. The oil refinery
Oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
is operated by the Ra's Lanuf Oil & Gas Processing Company, a subsidiary of the state-owned National Oil Corporation
National Oil Corporation
The National Oil Corporation is the national oil company of Libya. It dominates Libya's oil industry, along with a number of smaller subsidiaries, which combined account for around 70% the country's oil output...
. Additionally, the city houses the Ra's Lanuf petrochemical complex – a major oil terminal – and oil pipelines: the Amal–Ra's Lanuf, the Messla–Ra's Lanuf, and the Defa-Ra's Lanuf pipeline. As of 23 August 2011, Ra's Lanuf is under control by anti-Gaddafi forces.
History
The traditional western boundary of the Pentapolis lay at Arae Philaenorum. Some historians claim it is 40 km west of El AgheilaEl Agheila
El Agheila is a coastal city at the bottom of the Gulf of Sidra in far western Cyrenaica, Libya. In 1988 it was placed in Ajdabiya District; between 1995 and 2001 the district name is not known; however, it was again placed into Ajdabiya District in 2001...
, while others place Arae Philaenorum near Ra's Lanuf, and the modern Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
commemorative arch recording the Philaeni also stands there.
Recent activities
Beginning in 1984, a major urban development program for Ra's Lanuf was initiated by the BregaBrega
Brega may refer to:*Brega , an inhabited location in Libya**Marsa Brega Airport, the airport for Brega-People:...
and Ra's Lanuf Higher Committee to accommodate employees of the nearby oil industries, and envisaged for 40,000 inhabitants. The general design of the town layout was to be linear, following the coast and allowing extensive views and easy physical connection with the sea from all parts of town.
The town's structure was based on a functional hierarchy, containing three centers forming public zones with community facilities extending to the Mediterranean coast; these are in turn surrounded by high-rise housing blocks. A pedestrian route links different public, commercial, and recreational facilities to residential areas. The project was carried out by Devecon Engineers and Architects.
Battle of Ra's Lanuf
Shortly after 20:00 GMT on 4 March 2011, Al Jazeera reported that Libyan rebels had captured Ra's Lanuf after heavy fighting. This was later confirmed. The rebel advance was halted in the battle of Bin JawadBattle of Bin Jawad
The Battle of Bin Jawad was a battle in the 2011 Libyan civil war between forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and the Libyan opposition for control of the town of Bin Jawad.- The Battle :...
and a counter-offensive by government forces opened the second phase of the battle of Ra's Lanuf. After a heavy bombardment from air, land, and sea the government forces retook the city on 10 March. On 27 March rebels retook control of Ra's Lanuf as part of a rapid advance as 24 hours earlier they had retaken the strategic towns of Brega
Brega
Brega may refer to:*Brega , an inhabited location in Libya**Marsa Brega Airport, the airport for Brega-People:...
and Ajdabiya
Ajdabiya
Ajdabiya was one of the districts of Libya. It lay in the northeastern part of the country. Its capital was Ajdabiya. As of 2007 it was subsumed within the enlarged Al Wahat District....
, but within a matter of days rebel forces retreated from the city once more in the face of a government counter-offensive. On 23 August, rebels recaptured Ra's Lanuf from government loyalists and continued to advance towards Bin Jawad
Bin Jawad
Bin Jawad , also known as Bin Jawwād, Bin Quwad is a town with estimated 8,488 inhabitants in the Sirte District in Libya. It is approximately half way between Benghazi and Misrata...
and Sirte
Sirte
Sirte is a city in LibyaSirte may also refer to:* Sirte Declaration, a 1999 resolution to create the African Union* Sirte Oil Company, a Libyan oil companyIn geography:* Gulf of Sirte, alias for Gulf of Sidra on Libya's coast...
.
Earlier wars
On 3 April 1941 there was a British war communiquéCommunique
A communiqué is a brief report or statement released by a public agency.Communiqué may also refer to:* Communiqué , a rock band* Communiqué , 1979* Communiqué , 1987...
that in the North Africa Campaign in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in the night of 1 April 1941 Allied bomber aircraft heavily attacked German/Italian motor transport at Ra's Lanuf and destroyed many vehicles.
Administrative governance
Under the Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, Ra's Lanuf was part of Tripolitania
Tripolitania
Tripolitania or Tripolitana is a historic region and former province of Libya.Tripolitania was a separate Italian colony from 1927 to 1934...
. Under Italy after 1934, Ra's Lanuf was part of the Misrata Province, then occupied by the British as again part of Tripolitania. In 1983 it became part of the Bin Jawad District. Since 1987, it has been under the Sirte District.
Economy
Ra's Lanuf is an import center for the petrochemical industry. The Ra's Lanuf Refinery has a capacity of 220000 oilbbl/d. It is a part of larger petrochemical complex consisting of an ethyleneEthylene
Ethylene is a gaseous organic compound with the formula . It is the simplest alkene . Because it contains a carbon-carbon double bond, ethylene is classified as an unsaturated hydrocarbon. Ethylene is widely used in industry and is also a plant hormone...
plant, a polyethylene
Polyethylene
Polyethylene or polythene is the most widely used plastic, with an annual production of approximately 80 million metric tons...
plant, plant utilities, and the Port of Ra's Lanuf . The Port of Ra's Lanuf consists of a small harbor, operated by the Veba Oil Company and RASCO
Rasco
Keida Brewer , known professionally as Rasco , is a rapper from San Francisco, California, United States, whose early recordings were released on Stones Throw Records...
. Its primary activities include loading crude oil and oil products. It has a maximum draft
Draft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
of 22 meters and is about 385 kilometres (239.2 mi) east of the Benina International Airport
Benina International Airport
Benina International Airport serves Benghazi, Libya. It is located in the town of Benina, 19 km east of Benghazi, from which it takes its name. The airport is operated by the Civil Aviation and Meteorology Bureau of Libya and is the second largest in the country after Tripoli International...
.
Ra's Lanuf is the terminus of the 251 km (156 mi) Defa-Ra's Lanuf oil pipeline and the 427 km (265.3 mi) Majid-Nafora-Amal-Ra's Lanuf oil pipeline.
Ra's Lanuf has two airports: Ra's Lanuf Oil
Ras Lanuf Airport
Ras Lanuf Airport is an airport in the Sirte District of Libya, located approximately 227 km south-southwest of Benghazi. Its primary use is the transportation of oilfield workers from production facilities in the area.-World War II:...
(Code:HLNF) and Matratin (Code:FR3803).
Ra's Lanuf is to be a station on the new national railway system of Libya. In addition it is to be a construction base for the section to be built by Russian engineers, with a port for the delivery of supplies. The port will be connected to the base by a 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) branch line.
Nearby cities and towns
- Sidra (13.1 nmi (24.3 km) west)
- Bin JawadBin JawadBin Jawad , also known as Bin Jawwād, Bin Quwad is a town with estimated 8,488 inhabitants in the Sirte District in Libya. It is approximately half way between Benghazi and Misrata...
(20 nmi (37 km) west) - El AgheilaEl AgheilaEl Agheila is a coastal city at the bottom of the Gulf of Sidra in far western Cyrenaica, Libya. In 1988 it was placed in Ajdabiya District; between 1995 and 2001 the district name is not known; however, it was again placed into Ajdabiya District in 2001...
(36 nmi (66.7 km) east) - Qaryat BishrQaryat BishrQaryat Bishr is a Mediterranean coastal town on the Gulf of Sidra in central-northeastern Libya. It is in the Al Wahat District of the Cyrenaica region.It was in the former Ajdabiya District until 2007.-External links:**...
(36.1 nmi (66.9 km) east) - BregaBregaBrega may refer to:*Brega , an inhabited location in Libya**Marsa Brega Airport, the airport for Brega-People:...
(42.8 nmi (79.3 km) east) - Zella (128.7 nmi (238.4 km) south)
- Marada (84.1 nmi (155.8 km) south)