Libyan protesters have gathered outside the office of the country’s largest oil firm for two days demanding greater transparency in the sector.

Employees of Arabian Gulf Oil Company (Agoco), a subsidiary of state-owned National Oil Corporation were prevented from entering their office in the eastern city of Benghazi by approximately 50 protesters, according to Abdel Jalil Mayuf a company spokesman, Reuters news agency reports.

Demands included the sacking of Gaddafi-era officials. In January, protesters stormed the headquarters of the ruling National Transitional Council (NTC) with similar demands.

Appointed in November, the NTC is leading Libya ahead of planned elections in June, but has struggled to assert its authority and disarm the numerous militias which formed to topple Muammar Qaddafi.  

Libya is close to producing at pre-civil war levels of approximately 1.6 million barrels a day (b/d). Agoco is the operator of the Hamada and Al-Hamra fields in the Ghadames basin, as well as the Sarir, Nafoora and Messla fields in the central Sirte basin, producing around 425,000 b/d before the conflict.