for the first time since the fall of longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi. The North African country's oil industry has faced significant challenges following the NATO-backed revolt that toppled and killed Gaddafi in 2011, and its territory is still divided between rival authorities. But with energy production and exports at their strongest since then, Libya is seeking to draw major global energy companies. In addition to Chevron, Wednesday's winners of the latest bidding round included Africa's largest privately-owned energy company, Nigeria's Aiteo. The other winning bidders were consortiums: Spain's Repsol with BP, Eni North Africa with QatarEnergy, and Repsol with Hungary's MOLGroup and Turkiye Petrolleri. But only five blocks drew bids out of a total of 20 offered up for exploration and extraction. The National Oil Corporation (NOC) did not announce the cost of the licenses, and said there would be another bidding round later this year. (Bssnews)