Paris (AFP)

Seven of the eight French refineries are on strike as part of the social movement against pension reform and "no product comes out, pipeline or truckload," said Thursday to AFP Emmanuel Lépine, Federal Secretary CGT Chemistry.

In mid-morning, twelve deposits out of a total of 200 were blocked in France including 7 of Total, told AFP the French oil group.

The refineries operated by Total in Donges (Loire-Atlantique), Gonfreville-l'Orcher (Seine-Maritime), Grandpuits (Seine-et-Marne), Feyzin (Lyon metropolis) and La Mède (Bouches-du-Rhône) are on strike, said the group and the CGT.

At this stage, the refineries are not themselves stopped, but no product comes out, said these sources.

The Esso refinery in Fos-sur-Mer and the Petroinéos refinery in Lavera, also on the Berre pond (Bouches-du-Rhône), are also blocked, according to Mr. Lépine. Only the Esso refinery in Port-Jérôme-Gravenchon (Seine-Maritime) is not affected by the movement, he says.

According to Emmanuel Lépine, it is "never seen", the previous movements in refineries (2018 on wages, 2016 against the El Khomri law, 2010 against the Sarkozy reform of pensions) being at the same time less monitored and less extensive. Thus, the Fos depot and the Trapsil and SPSE pipeline companies had not followed suit, he said.

Two companies operating pipelines, Trapil and SPSE, are also shut down, as well as the oil depot and port of Fos, as well as the oil port of Le Havre.

According to Total, "the supply chain of fuels is adapted to meet the current situation, which at this time does not impact the supply of our stations".

The group "recommends (its) customers not to change their consumption habits".

According to him, it is either blockages or filter dams.

Also concerned are the deposits of Portes-les-Valence (Drôme) and Puget-sur-Argens (Var).

In Saint-Jean-de-Braye (Loiret), about thirty protesters briefly blocked the oil depot, before the police unlock access, said the prefecture.

At the Mede, Fabien Cros, elected CGT, confirms that "no product returns or leaves", and adds that "the movement is expected until Monday, December 9".

© 2019 AFP