* Crude, oil products inventories fall in September
* French oil port strike enters 15th day
* Gasoline stocks fall 4.2 percent year-on-year
(Adds details, quotes)
LONDON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Inventories of crude oil and
middle distillates, such as diesel and heating fuel, fell in 16
European countries in September, according to data from
Euroilstock, which analysts attributed to a major port strike.
The data released on Monday showed that crude and oil
product stockpiles fell 1.9 percent to 1.124 billion barrels in
September from August, at the same time that a port strike
disrupted Fos-Lavera, France's largest oil hub.
The strike entered its 15th day on Monday, raising concerns
over further fuel shortages as it forced some refineries to
reduce crude runs. [ID:nLDE69A0IO]
"The lower demand in Fos-Lavera should weigh on crude oil
stocks in Europe," said Olivier Jakob from Petromatrix.
The strike caused the partial closure of Total's (TOTF.PA)
La Mede refinery on Sunday and could soon hit other refineries.
In France, crude inventories fell on a monthly basis to
8,800 metric tonnes in September from 9,100 metric tonnes in
August and 9,256 metric tons in September last year, the
industry monitor's data showed.
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
For a graphic on refineries supplied from Fos-Lavera:
r.reuters.com/zar46p
Take a Look: [ID:nLDE6951R8]
Q&A on markets impact: [ID:nLDE6941ZA]
FACTBOX on the Fos-Lavera oil hub: [ID:nLDE68T0Y8]
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>
On a yearly basis, the data on gasoline inventories showed
the largest percentage decline, down 4.2 percent to 111.61
million barrels in September, although stockpiles were little
changed from August.
The marked yearly decline in gasoline inventories in Europe
comes despite an increase in refinery utilisation rates to 85.52
percent in September from 82.96 percent last year.
Middle distillates, including diesel and heating fuel, also
showed a draw of 3.9 percent to 400.50 million barrels in the
year to September.
"We've seen strong demand in German on middle distillates,
in particular gasoil demand before winter," a trader said.
EUROILSTOCK INVENTORY TABLE
(in mln bls)
change from change in pct
Sep 10 Aug 10 Aug 10/Sep 09 Aug 10/Sep 09
TOTAL 1,124.38 1,145.85 -21.47 -14.26 -1.9 -1.3
CRUDE 466.47 479.32 -12.85 -2.57 -2.7 -0.5
GASOLINE 111.61 111.01 0.60 -4.85 0.5 -4.2
MIDDLE 400.50 410.03 -9.53 -16.37 -2.3 -3.9
DISTILLATES
FUEL OIL 111.48 109.85 1.63 2.98 1.5 2.7
NAPHTHA 34.32 35.64 -1.32 6.55 -3.7 23.6
CRUDE INTAKE
11.203 11.240 -0.04 0.33 -0.4 3.0
CAPACITY UTILISATION (IN PERCENT)
85.52 85.80 82.96 (Sept 09)
(Reporting by Zaida Espana; editing by Ikuko Kurahone and Jane
Baird)
