Completed in 1984, NOC's refinery at Ras Lanuf, Libya produces 220,000 b/d of refined petroleum products per year. The refinery is part of a larger facility that includes an ethylene plant, a polyethylene plant, plant utilities, and Ras Lanuf Harbor.

Products from Ras Lanuf are sold locally as well as exported to the United States and Europe. These products include: Refinery: unstabilized naphtha, kerosene, light gas oil, heavy gas oil, atmospheric residue; Ethylene Plant: ethylene, propylene, mixed C4, pyrolysis gasoline, fuel oil; Polyethylene Plants: high density polyethylene (HDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE).

Expansion project

In 2007, NOC subsidiary RASCO decided to expand Ras Lanuf by adding benzene, butadiene and MTBE. The Star Consortium, comprising the Al Ghurair Investments' subsidiary TransAsia Gas International and ETA Ascon Star Group's Star Petro Energy, concluded a $2 billion deal with NOC of Libya to set up a joint venture company with The Dow Chemical Co. to own and upgrade the refinery.

The joint venture agreement includes the Ras Lanuf site’s existing naphtha cracker, two polyethylene production facilities, and associated infrastructure. The project will include refurbishment and expansion of the existing units, followed by construction of an ethane cracker and additional polyethylene and polypropylene facilities. In the years to come, the expansion will also include construction of an additional hydrocarbon, plastics and chemical production facilities based on natural gas.

The project is expected to conclude in 2013. Development involves using state-of-the-art technology to improve the quality of products to meet the latest international standards.