Libya War Maps: The Fifth Batch - The Geography of Oil

Libyan War Maps:  The First Batch
Libyan War Maps:  The Second Batch 
Libyan War Maps:  The Third Batch 
Libyan War Maps:  The Fourth Batch 

Libyan War Maps:  The Sixth Post - The Coalition's Size
Libya War Maps: The Seventh Post - The Invasion of Tripoli
Libya War Maps: The Eighth Post - More Battle of Tripoli Maps

The vast quaunties of oil underneath Libya creates an extra-dimension to the war geography between the forces of the "Libyan Republic" (rebels) and the "Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Republic" (Qadaffi).  Whoever controls the oil fields, the lands the pipelines cross, and the ports can sell the black gold for massive profit and perhaps even sway vital European powers to fight more or less in the war.  The United States has already given the Libyan rebels a "green light" to sell oil.

The great geopolitical news source Stratfor has created two maps showing the oil geography of Libya. The first one shows oil fields, population density, pipelines, and refinery capability.  The second map shows energy concessions to various countries and their nationalities.

From Stratfor.  Click to Enlarge.

From Stratfor.  Click to Enlarge.

As shown in the maps, most of the oil fields, pipelines, and refineries/ports are in the eastern coast (rebel territory) or central coast where most of the current fighting is occurring.  The first map shows that the port city Ras Lanuf can process almost double the oil Tripoli, Qaddafi's capital, can.  The coast along gulf of Gulf of Sidra in the center of the country is the main control point in Libya's oil geography.  Whoever can control that has a stranglehold on much of the country's oil production.

Interesting side note:  According to the map, BP's only oil interest is in the Gulf of Sidra, BP has no land concessions.