Strikes disrupt bitumen at France Port Jerome refinery

Bitumen truck flows from ExxonMobil's 236,000 b/d Port Jerome refinery in northern France have been disrupted since 19 June by strike action at the neighbouring Gravenchon petrochemicals plant, according to market participants.

Protesters outside the refinery entrance have blocked trucks, with the strike action linked to the petrochemical plant that is threatened with closure.

Bitumen traders said they had been informed by ExxonMobil that a meeting will be held on 2 July between the company and its workers, and that the strike action is unlikely to stop before then.

There has been less of an effect on cargo flows from Port Jerome. Four bitumen cargoes have loaded for export since the refinery's restart in May after an early March fire. The latest shipments have been to Bristol, southwest England, on the 6,165dwt An Hai Wan that arrived there on 25 June and to Galway, Ireland, on the 6,384dwt Bithav due in on 30 June.

Port Jerome accounts for around 20pc of France's refining capacity and produces in excess of 600,000 t/yr of bitumen. ExxonMobil has yet to comment on the latest developments at Port Jerome/Gravenchon.

By Fenella Rhodes