Foreign crude oil stocks held in France: destined abroad
Foreign crude oil stocks held in France: destined abroad stood at 111 thousand tonnes in Jul 2026, according to Eurostat – oil and petroleum products stocks, monthly (nrg_stk_oilm). It is one of the indicators in the Oil stocks table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jul 2023 to Jul 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Oil stocks table
| Indicator | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | 10-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All oil and petroleum products | 111 | 245 | 172 | 177 | 226 | 156 | 152 | 157 | 281 | 180 | |
| Crude oil | 111 | 245 | 172 | 177 | 226 | 156 | 152 | 157 | 281 | 180 | |
| Petroleum products | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Understanding foreign crude oil stocks held in France: destined abroad
Unrefined hydrocarbon deposits positioned within domestic territory under international security agreements are tracked here based on their confirmed foreign destination. This series measures the physical tonnage of foreign-owned crude oil stored domestically that is legally earmarked for subsequent return to external partner nations during supply emergencies. Excluded from this count are refined petroleum products, domestically owned crude stocks, commercial refinery inventories, and foreign-held crude lacking a designated export path. This row isolates unrefined material from finished products within the broader category of foreign-owned reserves.
Interpreting these monthly readings necessitates accounting for international pipeline schedules and maritime transport logistics rather than domestic refinery throughput cycles. Initial estimates are subject to routine administrative revisions as terminal operators submit finalized physical verification audits and export declarations. Analysts should prioritize year-on-year comparisons over month-on-month changes to identify structural trends, as monthly figures can be volatile due to batch shipments and quality rotations. Comparing this crude series directly with domestic refining input statistics is misleading, because these unrefined barrels are restricted to foreign emergency deployment.
Frequently asked questions
- Can domestic refineries process this foreign crude oil during normal operations?
- Processing requires explicit legal authorization and contractual agreements with the foreign government that owns the crude.
- How does this series differ from total foreign oil stocks held domestically?
- This series counts only unrefined crude oil, excluding finished petroleum products stored for foreign entities.
- What unit of measurement is used for these crude inventories?
- Quantities are reported in thousand tonnes.