Is the risk of a fuel shortage hovering over Europe? “When the holiday season starts in Europe and the United States (…) then there could be shortages: for example of diesel, gasoline or kerosene, especially in Europe”the executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol, told the German weekly Der Spiegel, May 31. But in France, what do professionals in the sector think? Like the government, they are reassuring about the summer supply.
“We do not foresee a shortage in France, neither in crude oil nor in diesel”reacted Friday, June 3 to AFP Olivier Gantois, president of Ufip Energies and Mobilities, which brings together the major oil groups in France. “The supplies are already organized. Fortunately, we are not waiting for July 3 to wonder if we will have fuel for the service stations for the following weekend”he points out.
While the European Union has just decided on a partial embargo on Russian crude oil within six months and refined products within eight months, the players have had time to prepare, adds Francis Pousse, president of the station branch. -service and new energies of Mobilians, professional organization of the automotive sector. “The whole sector is looking for and finding other sources of supply since we have known for two months that this is going to happen”, he underlines, alluding to the long discussions of the Europeans before reaching a compromise on a progressive embargo. A total of 90% of Russian oil exports to the EU will be stopped by the end of the year.
“Today, oil continues to be imported” of Russia, also declared the Minister of Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, on franceinfo. “We are replacing over time, we are not intended to suddenly reduce our oil imports” but to them “to diversify”, she pointed out. The Minister also recalled the existence of strategic storage facilities for crude and finished products, which normally represent 29.5% of the volumes consumed in one year, i.e. more than three months.
The alert from the IEA, which brings together developed countries, does not surprise professionals. She “is in its role” and “send messages to OPEC”, Judge Olivier Gantois. It thus regularly appeals to the cartel to ask it to increase its production volumes. A message which also seems to have been heard, since the producers announced Thursday a larger than expected opening of their valves this summer to try to curb the surge in prices.
On the price side, the liter of fuel is evolving in France at a high level but far from the records of March, when it exceeded 2 euros. The liter of diesel was worth an average of 1.8281 euros at the end of May and that of super unleaded 95-E10 1.9293 euros. “My prediction, for what it’s worth, is that prices will stay high, if not continue to rise.”says Olivier Gantois.