German spot sales of heating oil and fuels held largely stable in the week ending 12 October, but supply along the Rhine River was partly restricted because of reduced production at a few refineries and lower water levels.
Spot volumes of E5 gasoline, diesel and heating oil were at a similar level nationwide compared with the previous week. Supply from BP's 103,000 b/d Lingen refinery in the northwest stabilised after a hydrocracker failure had limited diesel supply in the weeks before. Sales volumes there now indicate a return to normal operations.
The PCK consortium's 204,000 b/d Schwedt refinery near Berlin faced increased supply pressure because of continuing works on the Angermünde-Passow railway line, which is hampering product outflows by rail.
Spot trade in the Cologne area, in western Germany, fell on the week, particularly for heating oil. This was because of resupply difficulties at local tank farms caused by maintenance at Shell's 187,000 b/d Godorf refinery, market participants said. The work began on 6 October and Shell expects it to last for six weeks.
Maintenance at the Shell's 404,000 b/d Pernis TotalEnergies' 338,000 b/d Antwerp refineries is further tightening supply along the German part of the Rhine. Prompt collection of diesel is limited at Godorf, Wesseling, Ludwigshafen and Karlsruhe, traders said. The Rhine water level at the Kaub bottleneck, of just under 1.50m, is limiting barge utilisation on the upper Rhine and the Main river to an average of about two-thirds of maximum capacity.
Rhine water levels are forecast to fall further in the coming weeks, so resupply is set to become more difficult.
The Miro consortium's 310,000 b/d Karlsruhe refinery recently experienced production problems, one of the plant shareholders said. This, combined with high demand for heating oil because of low temperatures in recent weeks, led to tightening supply and is causing prices to rise.
