US oil companies return to Libya

According to the articla on the BBC site:

"US oil companies have been awarded most of the contracts on offer at the first open licence auction in Libya.

Companies like Occidental and Chevron Texaco will return to Libya for the first time in more than 20 years. "


But from what i understood and this includes talking to someone actually from Libya... is that the US companies had never left.

There were always "unofficial" US workers there throughout the 80's and 90's.