Due to the tense market situation, the Shell oil company has initially restricted the sale of heating oil, diesel and other products to some major customers in Germany.
This emerges from a letter from Shell Germany on Monday, which is available to the German Press Agency.
The reason given is "massive distortions and shortages on the energy markets" as a result of the outbreak of war in Ukraine, the subsequent sanctions and the economic recovery after the pandemic lull.
First, the “Handelsblatt” reported about it.
In order to be able to continue to fulfill contractually agreed obligations, one restricts the so-called spot sale - i.e. the current sale of oil, diesel and other products without prior agreements.
All levers are being set in motion "to stabilize the supply chains as best as possible", but it is difficult to predict how the situation will develop, it said.
A spokeswoman for the company initially did not want to comment on the development on request.
The ever-escalating war in Ukraine and the fear of massive economic consequences shook the global financial markets at the beginning of the new week and caused oil prices to skyrocket.
The possible freeze on imports of oil from Russia brought into play by the USA drove oil prices at the start of the week to their highest level since 2008. The price for a barrel (159 liters) of North Sea Brent rose to almost 140 US dollars.
Most recently it was more than $124, an increase of over $6.