Crude imports to the French Mediterranean port of Fos-Lavera were at their lowest since January 2024 last month, as works at one of the refineries served by the port were ongoing.
Crude deliveries were 375,000 b/d in May, down from 395,000 b/d in April, according to Argus tracking. Deliveries in January-May were 425,000 b/d, compared with 450,000 b/d across 2024 overall.
Fos-Lavera serves three refineries in France — Rhone Energies' 140,000 b/d Fos facility, UK-Chinese venture Petroineos' 207,100 b/d Lavera plant and TotalEnergies' 109,300 b/d Feyzin refinery — and Varo Energy's 68,000 b/d Cressier in Switzerland.
Receipts have been lower in March-May as Petroineos' unit has undergone planned maintenance (see chart). Port and refinery workers have described the maintenance as large, with a progressive shutdown and resumption of operations. The company has announced the restart of unspecified units at the start of this month, with resulting noise and flaring. One refinery worker said works would continue up to the end of June, then "the rest will be at the end of the year."
Fos-Lavera's receipts for the four units tend to be broadly light and sweeter, with sporadic deliveries of heavier and sourer grades coming from Saudi Arabia and Basrah, Iraq. Last month out of 15 cargoes only two were heavier, under 30°API, from Chad and Equatorial Guinea.
In May, supplies comprised 110,000 b/d of Libyan crude split between Esharara, Sarir and Mellitah, 60,000 b/d of Caspian CPC Blend, 55,000 b/d of US WTI, 50,000 b/d of Nigerian crude split between Qua Iboe and Abo, 50,000 b/d of Algerian Saharan Blend, 30,000 b/d of 20°API Lokele from Equatorial Guinea and 20,000 b/d of 28°API Doba from Chad.
Last month, Petroineos received 115,000 b/d of crude, Rhone Energies and Total a little over 100,000 b/d each and just over 55,000 b/d went to Varo.
In January-May, the Lavera refinery accounted for 155,000 b/d of imports, Rhone Energies 115,000 b/d, Varo 65,000 b/d and TotalEnergies 90,000 b/d.
The momentum of deliveries at the port in June is similar to May. So far around 1mn bl each of CPC Blend and Escravos, 750,000bl of Doba, 900,000bl of Basrah Medium, 600,000bl of Saharan Blend, 700,000bl of WTI and 600,000bl of Tunisian Zarzaitine have unloaded.
