Minimal Blogging Today -- Traveling In Local Area -- May 25, 2016

Note: the agenda for the NDIC, June, 2016, dockets has been posted. Link here. 

Original Post

 

All oil refineries in France now shut down -- so what's this all about? Due to strikes.

France's oil refineries are on strike Tuesday with all eight of the country's refineries out of action.

Five of the refineries are controlled by Total and two by Esso. 

The Total CEO was reported as saying that the oil and gas company will "seriously reconsider" investments in France due to the strikes that have forced it to shut down its refineries.

The strikes will put France's "full 1.4 mbd (million barrels per day) of capacity potentially at risk."

Impact?

The strike has resulted in over 2,000 gas stations running dry across France, with drivers lining up for hours to fill their cars. 

Why?

Union workers are protesting against labor reform laws passed this month by President Francois Hollande's government aimed at reforming the country's notoriously inflexible workers' rights – including making changes to the 35-hour work week and making it easier for small businesses to hire and fire employees.

Saudi Aramco probably won't be expanding any time soon in France.