Protests in southern and central Tunisia have halted production or shut fields of two foreign energy companies, according to local media reports.
The demonstrations over jobs and development come as a new challenge to Prime Minister Youssef Chahed.
Tunisia is only a small oil and gas producer compared to its OPEC neighbours Libya and Algeria.
But protesters are targeting energy output as Chahed’s government tries to enact austerity reforms.
State-run Tataouine radio and Mosaique FM radio said sit-ins halted production at energy company Perenco’s Baguel and Tarfa fields, which are joint ventures for gas and condensate output, according to the Perenco company website.
A spokesman for Canada-based Serinus Energy said by email that its Chouech Essaida field in southern Tunisia had been shut-in since Feb. 28 due to labour and social unrest.
Protests have centred in southern Tataouine province where Italy’s ENI and Austrian firm OMV have mainly gas operations, but have also started to emerge in central Kebili region.
Since its 2011 uprising brought democracy to Tunisia, successive governments have struggled with social unrest in the south and central provinces where unemployed youth feel they have been left out of the economic benefits of the revolution.