<article><p><i>corrects Gonfreville refinery status</i></p><p class="lead">Total said today it will halt its 222,000 b/d Donges refinery near France's Atlantic coast for the next few months, until refining economics improve. </p><p>The firm said the plant is running at a loss as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. Margins are deteriorating because of the decline in oil demand resulting from the pandemic, it said.</p><p>Donges will be shut down from 30 November, French union CGT said. </p><p>France started a month-long lockdown at the end of October in an attempt to curb the rapid spread of the Covid-19 virus in the country.</p><p>French oil product consumption took a hit during the first spring lockdown, with diesel demand falling by 61.5pc on the year to 271,000 b/d in April, and gasoline demand dropping by 70pc to 61,000 b/d over the same period, according to data from industry association Ufip. Total extended maintenance shutdowns at its 105,000 b/d Feyzin and the 93,000 b/d Grandpuits refineries in France as a result.</p><p>Feyzin and Grandpuits restarted in September and June, respectively. But the latter is now down because of a <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2159819">new pipeline issue</a>. Earlier this year, Total took the decision to cease conventional refining at Grandpuits to turn the site into a bio-refinery, as <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2144151">pipeline problems threatened its long-term financial viability</a>.</p><p>The crude distillation unit at Total's 240,000 b/d Gonfreville refinery — France's largest refinery — will remain closed until mid-2021 following a fire in December last year, sources said.</p><p>The firm said work related to a modernisation project at Donges is continuing. </p><p class="bylines">By Caroline Varin</p></article>
