Reserves opened to stop fuel panic

[Admin]

Reserves opened to stop fuel panic
October 15, 2010

RESERVE fuel supplies have been opened up after strikes closed down all French oil refineries and fears of petrol shortages have sparked panic buying. Demand for fuel has risen 50 per cent in the past two days.

The strikes, against the planned changes to the retirement age, have been made worse by an 18-day dockers’ strike at the giant oil terminal at Fos-Lavéra (Bouches-du-Rhône).

At the moment there are more than 70 ships standing off Marseille loaded with crude oil destined for French refineries but all of the country’s 12 refineries have been hit by strikes.

Some petrol stations have put up notices warning of shortages but, so far, only about 50 have faced actual shortages. There have been reports of stations limiting purchases to €40 or €50.

The main areas affected by shortages are the south of France, Alsace and Brittany.

Transport secretary Dominique Bussereau ordered that reserve stocks of fuel held by oil firms be opened for use, which would give about 10 days’ supply. Police were then used to open the depot at Fos-sur-Mer in Bouches-du-Rhône.

However, so-called strategic supplies still remain off-limits. These are only intended to be used in the event of an international crisis and were last opened in 2005 after hurricane Katrina ravaged oil distilleries in the southern United States and cut off supplies.

The 17 million tonnes of refined and crude oil in the strategic supply represent 98 days’ consumption.

Fuel supplies have been ordered from elsewhere in Europe and Mr Bussereau has also lifted the ban on larger 44-tonne oil tankers being used to transport fuel. He has also lifted the restrictions on tankers running on Sundays.

Tomorrow is due to see the latest in the series of rolling protests over the retirement age which follow the strikes in the transport and energy sectors. Demonstrations are expected in major cities.

Another national strike is planned for October 19.

Source: connexion newspaper

[Madame Moorhen]

Yeah I read that and funny how if only 50 stations have faced shortages how come so many reports from people in Brittany about the amount closed or with petrol but no diesel. It's been a nightmare here with all 3 of our stations within a 15 min radius having no diesel, until we tried Ecomarche again yesterday and they suddenly did have some diesel (they were empty the day before). And the Super U we went to earlier yesterday had none, and the other station on the main road was completely closed!

[stavros]

Paradoxically, the situation at the pumps could ease slightly. That's because everyone is running with a full tank, some deliveries are still getting through, and demand should ease for a few days.
But then the crunch will come, as the unions flew their muscles and put more blockades in place.

[blu]

I have been unlucky everytime I am told there is fuel, it is all gone when I get there...

[stavros]

Luc Chatel, Minister of Education and the government's spokesman, was on the main news this evening, talking about today's demonstrations, the numbers in the streets, and fuel supplies.
You could tell when he was lying - his lips moved!!!

[hellfire]

Our Super U which was operating normally until yesterday has now fixed the pumps at a max of €20 so they are getting worried.

[blu]

I have asked friends to call me next time they see a filling station with fuel here, I have a lot of tooing and frooing this week and would like 20euros of diesel.

[tobyjug]

both Super U and Casino Malestroit had fuel this am, only 20€ per vehicle and no cans

[Admin]

(Loosely translated from Ouest-France 20.10.10)

Three fuel depots - at Donges (Loire-Atlantique), Le Mans and La Rochelle - were released by police, during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday. However, the depot was immediately blocked again at Donges. Caen is still blocked.

The Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux warned Wednesday that security forces would continue "as necessary to release the deposits" fuels.

The three releases Donges, Le Mans and La Rochelle, took place after a meeting Tuesday about problems caused by strikes and demonstrations against pension reform, which was attended by Nicolas Sarkozy, François Fillon and six ministers. Previously, President Sarkozy announced that he would take action against the blockades at refineries and to "guarantee public order."

At Donges (Loire-Atlantique), the police came shortly after 4 am to unblock the fuel depot, blocked by a picket line since October 13.

Shortly after, the strikers have blocked the accesses again by immobilizing tank trucks on roundabouts access.


The access to the oil depot at La Rochelle Pallice, blocked since Thursday, and those of Le Mans, blocked since Friday, were released without incident by mobile police and police. At Le Mans, trucks entering and leaving the deposit normally.

However, in Caen, the fuel depot, released late Tuesday afternoon by the CGT, was blocked again Wednesday at about 4 am, according to a CGT activist who participates in deadlock. The direction of the deposit confirmed the blockage.

Protesters also blocked on Wednesday morning, the pipelines (ODC pipelines common defense) in Port-de-Bouc (Bouches-du-Rhone). This deposit "kerosene supplies airports in Nice, Marseille, Lyon and the military air bases" of the region.

The prefecture confirmed the blockage, without elaborating.

[Admin]

Autumn getaway starts amid uncertainty for motorists

Some holidaymakers are wondering whether to go away at all because of the fuel shortages.

The traditional autumn break around All Saints’ day on 1 November began across France on Friday amid continuing concern about fuel supplies and public transport.

Many people due to go on holiday hesitated to get in their cars, uncertain about whether they would be able to find fuel along the way as blockades of refineries and oil depots continued.

The government admitted that about a fifth of the country’s filling stations were without fuel and that the situation would take time to resolve.

After meeting representatives from the oil and fuel industries prime minister François Fillon said it would take ‘several days’ before the situation at service stations could be brought back to normal.

However it emerged that France still has 90 days of oil left on Friday even after the government authorised the use of strategic reserves to cope with strike induced shortages.

‘At midday, the reserves held by the company for managing safety reserves were what they are supposed to be,’ said Jean-Marc Tennesson of the French Committee of Strategic Oil Reserves (CFSSP).

At the start of October, France had 17 million tonnes of crude oil and oil products in its strategic stocks, enough for an estimated 98.5 days of consumption, more than the internationally stipulated 90 days.

However the protests against raising the retirement age to 62 show little sign of going away, despite the Toussaint or All Saints’ holidays.

The unions have called a new day of strikes and protests for next Thursday and a day of marches on Saturday 6 November. Students have said they will stage mass protests next Tuesday.

Meanwhile the Senate was due to vote through the pension reforms late on Friday, meaning they should become law sometime next week.

Source: The French Paper