Victim of the crisis, the Total Donges refinery shut down until the end of March

This is a less visible consequence of the economic and health crisis: the consumption of petrochemicals has decreased and stocks have logically increased. A situation which weakens the oil refineries of the Total group. As a result, the Donges refinery (Loire-Atlantique) will be “placed in economic shutdown” until the end of March, we learned Tuesday from corroborating sources.

“The Covid crisis has a downward impact on the consumption of petroleum products, which leads to a very sharp deterioration in refining margins. In this context, the Donges refinery is operating at a loss, ”explained a spokesperson for Total. And to specify that the group has decided to place the Donges refinery “in economic shutdown for the months to come pending better economic conditions”.

Maintenance work instead

A “stop of refining until the end of March” is planned, indicated to Christophe Hiou (CGT delegate), secretary of the CSE of the Donges site. The shutdown of the units “will not result in any partial unemployment for the employees of the platform, who will continue to monitor the units and carry out the necessary inspection and maintenance work”, added the spokesperson for the Total group. There will be no “repercussion on the supplies of our customers”, according to the same source.

The Donges refinery is one of the four refineries of the Total group in France and has a capacity of 220,000 barrels per day. It is the second largest French refinery, after that of Normandy in Gonfreville-l’Orcher.