Switzerland releases fuel reserves after refinery shutdown

Switzerland has authorised temporary withdrawals from its mandatory fuel stockpiles after a production outage at the country’s only oil refinery in Cressier, SRF reported. From September 8 to 20, companies may withdraw up to 30,000 cubic metres of diesel and 30,000 cubic metres of petrol, the Federal Office for Economic Supply said.

Each amount represents less than 3 percent of the corresponding stockpile, according to the office.

The refinery in the canton of Neuchâtel was temporarily shut down last week because of a technical fault. It is expected to resume normal production from mid-September. The facility usually covers slightly more than 30 percent of Switzerland’s demand for mineral oil products.

The outage comes as supply is already under pressure. Low water levels on the Rhine have restricted transport capacity for several weeks. Additional deliveries by rail and through the pipeline from France to Geneva cannot fully and quickly compensate for the lost production, the Federal Office for Economic Supply said.

The withdrawals are intended to bridge temporary supply gaps. The petrol and diesel stockpiles belong to the companies required to maintain them and generally correspond to around four and a half months of average demand. The withdrawn quantities must be replenished within six months after the measure ends.

Further withdrawals may be authorised if supply problems continue. The delegate for economic supply can independently release up to 20 percent of the mandatory stockpile for a product.