Should motorists be worried about the fuel shortage that is hitting some service stations? While the images of queues multiply, the government and the oil companies want to be reassuring. The current shortages are only occasional and they mainly concern the stations of the TotalEnergies group. These tensions could be explained by the success of the reduction of 20 centimes applied by the French oil giant but also by the strike movement which is blocking several of its refineries.
There is no national shortage
While refuting any shortage, Olivier Véran, the government spokesman, acknowledged that “12% of stations nationwide” were currently meeting “difficulties on at least one type of fuel”. And some regions are more affected than others. Thus, in Hauts-de-France, “we reach nearly 30% who may encounter difficulties”.
“From time to time there is a one-off problem. But I can guarantee you that when you look at the whole national territory there is no shortage”, made a point of reassuring Olivier Gantois, the president of the French Union of the oil industry, Wednesday, October 5, on RMC. And to add: “It certainly gets stuck when there is an influx of customers in certain stations.”
The problem mainly concerns TotalEnergies
In reality, the ruptures mainly concern the service stations of the French oil group TotalEnergies, according to the French Union of the oil industry, which points to franceinfo “Tensions on TotalEnergies stations and in particular at the border”. These breaks can be explained, among other things, by the influx of customers attracted by the discount of 20 cents applied by the group.
“It must be said that the price difference is huge”remarks Olivier Gantois, still on RMC. “Usually, the customer changes station for one or two cents”, recalls the president of the French Union of the Petroleum Industry. An explanation also taken up by the spokesperson of the government.
“Some stations are victims of their success since the drop in prices is such, at the pump, that there can be tensions.”
Olivier Véran, government spokespersonafter the Council of Ministers
Several group refineries are blocked
Especially since the French oil group has been facing a social movement since last week, with employees demanding higher wages. If the mobilization seems to have stalled, several sites remain affected by the strike, including the Normandy refinery, the largest in France. In total, “four out of six TotalEnergies refineries would be affected as well as certain fuel depots”said Olivier Véran.
“There is a strike problem that will be resolved in some refineries.”
Olivier Véran, government spokespersonafter the Council of Ministers
This explanation had so far been refuted by the oil group. “The current tensions on the network are not due to the strike at the Normandy platform, but to the overconsumption of our customers due to the drop in prices in our stations”, said the management of TotalEnergies to AFP on Tuesday 4 October. Contacted by franceinfo, the group maintains this position: “Despite the social movements, the resupply of our stations continues in the context of the price reduction operation”.
The government asks not to panic
This situation could continue for several more days. “Maybe for a few days it will be tense. And maybe we will have to go a little further to find fuel”, warns Olivier Gantois, the president of the French Union of the oil industry. For its part, the government calls not to create a panic effect. “Don’t all rush, we’re not going to run out of gas”urged Olivier Véran.