Libyan rebels, badly in need of funds and arms to sustain their pressure against embattled leader Moammar Qadhafi, are set to export oil from their strongholds in the east of the country.

Libya's Opposition groups are reportedly making plans to load a tanker due to dock at a terminal near Tobruk.

Liberia-flagged oil tanker 'Equator,' having a capacity to carry one million barrels, was heading toward Libya's eastern coast on Tuesday. The Greek-owned vessel was expected to dock at the Marsa el-Hariga export terminal near the rebel-held port city of Tobruk later on Tuesday.

Reports say the oil shipment is bound for Qatar, which last week offered to sell it in European .

The Arabian Gulf Oil Company, which came under the control of the rebels, has a stock of about three million barrels at Tobruk's terminal. It is also connected through a pipeline with the Sarir oil field, the country's largest in the Sirte basin, which currently has a daily output of around 100,000 barrels.

German news agency DPA says that the Zueitina oil pipeline terminal in Ajdabiya is ready for operations and that bank accounts have been opened to begin exporting oil.

However, possible attempts by Qadhafi's forces on rebel-held oil refineries and cities to disrupt oil flows by striking at the stretched pipelines are anticipated.

Meanwhile, the rebels regained control of most of the oil port at Brega, where NATO air strikes were reported against forces loyal to Qadhafi.

The Qadhafi regime said on Monday that it was ready for reforms and elections, but resisted the rebels' demand for exit in the near future.

It was not able to export crude oil from the eastern region since it came under the complete control of the rebels three weeks ago.

The National Transitional Council (NTC), a rebel body heading the fight against the Qadhafi regime, has been recognized by some countries as Libya's legitimate government. Led by former Justice Minister Mustafa Abdul Jalil, the 31-member Council has an executive arm, and maintains an armed force consisting of defected military personnel.

The rebels have also formed a local government in Libya's second biggest city of Benghazi, where a key Mediterranean port is situated. They have also appealed for more weapons to fight forces loyal to Qadhafi.

NATO, in charge of the command and control of Libya operations in enforcing a U.N. mandated no-fly zone over the oil-rich country, has ruled out arming the rebels, while the United States remains undecided on the option.

Libya lost its position as Africa's third-largest oil producer since the unrest began in February. Collapse of its oil production, which normally recorded 1.6 million barrels a day before the crisis, triggered a price rally in global oil markets.

As the global oil prices rose to a two-and-a-half year high, Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, was forced to increase its production to offset the shortage in supply.

Persisting unrest in North Africa, the Gulf, and the Middle East and a strike in Gabon have disrupted crude oil production considerably since the weekend, estimated at about 240,000 barrels a day.

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