Page 11 - EurOil Week 12 2023

EurOil POLICY EurOil

Further disruptions to French LNG, refineries

amid strikes over pension reform

FRANCE STRIKES over pension reform that have dis- offline until March 21.
rupted LNG imports and refinery operations Meanwhile, four of France’s six refineries are
France’s raising on the in France and other critical energy sectors have halting operations or plan to stop by March 20.
national pension age is been extended, although the impact on Euro- TotalEnergies’ 219,000 barrel per day Donges
proving very unpopular. pean gas prices has been muted as a result of and 246,900 bpd Gonfreville refineries, UK-Chi-
ample LNG volumes entering other terminals, nese owner Petroineos’ 210,000 bpd Lavera plant
and mild weather. and ExxonMobil’s 207,100 bpd Port Jerome
France’s General Confederation of Labour refinery should all close down by March 20.
(CGT) that represents trade unions has blocked At Donges, workers have voted to extend their
operations at four French LNG terminals since strike for another week until March 24.
March 6 in opposition to the government’s plans France is also struggling to bring another
for pension reform. CGT has decided to extend crude oil and fuel ashore. At the French terminal
the strike until at least March 21. Another round of Fos-Lavera, 4.3mn barrels of oil are stuck at
of nationwide strikes, organised by a broad coali- the mouth of the port, including 1.2mn barrels
tion of labour unions, are due to begin on March of Libyan grades, 1mn barrels of Caspian CPC
22, affecting power production, air travel, refin- blend and 1.9mn barrels of Angola’s Olombendo,
eries, ports and other key sectors of the French according to Argus.
economy. The strikes concern the contentious passage
The operator of the Dunkirk LNG termi- of pension reform in France on March 16 that
nal, France’s largest, extended a force majeure raise the eligible age from 62 to 64. The gov-
to March 17 that was due to end two days ear- ernment has said the reform is vital to preserve
lier. The strike ended on March 17 as planned, France’s “share-out” system, based on a single
and then again until March 20. The other three fund that workers pay into and pensioners with-
affected terminals are anticipated to remain draw from. ™

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