The price of a barrel of oil hit its highest level since before the global economic crisis as BP said it was suspending drilling operations in the country due to the turmoil in the oil-producing North African country.Brent crude jumped to $104.25 a barrel, a level not seen since before the oil price plunged during the global financial crisis of late 2008.Reports say that production at Libya's Nafoora oilfield has stopped because workers are striking. BP said it is planning to evacuate about 140 of its employees from the country, which accounts for about 2% of the world's production.Shares in BP have held up despite the disruption, but Italy's ENI, which has strong interests in Libya, is down by more than 3% despite the company saying its operations in the country are unaffected.Protests in Libya, which come after the leaders of its neighbours Tunisia and Egypt were toppled by mass demonstrations, have spread to the capital Tripoli from the eastern city of Benghazi. The human rights group Human Rights Watch says that up to 233 people have been killed in the protests over four days.