Libya El Feel oil workers evacuated in guards' pay protest -source

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Some workers at Libya's El Feel oil field have been evacuated after guards withdrew in protest over pay, a local source from the town of Murzuq said on Wednesday.

It was not clear if there was any impact on production at El Feel, which has been pumping at least 60,000 barrels per day (bpd) in recent months and has a capacity of more than 100,000 bpd.

The field is operated by Mellitah, a joint venture between Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) and Italy's Eni. There was no immediate comment from the NOC.

The source said guards at the field had withdrawn in protest over pay and other benefits they say they have not received.

That led to the evacuation of some staff by plane on Wednesday, the source said. Other staff were due to be evacuated on Thursday and negotiations over the dispute were expected to continue, he said.

Production at El Feel, in Libya's southwestern desert, has been hampered in the past because of action by guards employed at the field.

(Reporting by Ahmed Elumami; Writing by Aidan Lewis; editing by Grant McCool)