France rail freight tonnes: coal, oil, gas
France rail freight tonnes: coal, oil, gas stood at 0.08 million tonnes in 2025, according to SDES – Service des données et études statistiques (Ministère de la Transition écologique). It is one of the indicators in the Freight transport (annual) table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 2016 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Freight transport (annual) table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tonnes transported by type of goods (NST 2007) | |||||||||||
| Coal, lignite, crude oil and natural gas | 0.08 | 0.17 | 0.13 | 0.22 | 0.42 | 0.47 | 0.67 | 1.66 | 1.89 | 1.61 | |
| Metal ores, peat and other mining products | 6.39 | 6.17 | 6.16 | 6.6 | 8.21 | 6.84 | 5.94 | 6.93 | 9.05 | 8.12 |
Understanding france rail freight tonnes: coal, oil, gas
Extraction outputs from underground resources, specifically solid minerals, crude petroleum, and gaseous hydrocarbons moved by rail, are quantified here in million tonnes. The enumeration tracks the gross physical mass of these combustible inputs from extraction points or primary terminals to refineries, power generation facilities, or distribution hubs. Unlike refined petroleum derivatives or manufactured chemicals, this series strictly isolates the unrefined upstream materials straight from mines and wellheads. It diverges from other mineral categories by focusing exclusively on energy-producing substances, omitting metallic ores and stone aggregates.
Reading these figures requires awareness of long-term energy transition policies and shifts in primary fuel sourcing, which can drastically alter transport volumes independently of general economic activity. Annual assessments provide a stable view of structural changes in national energy supply logistics, bypassing temporary weather-driven spikes in fuel demand. Users must avoid assuming that rail volumes mirror total national energy consumption, as pipelines and maritime vessels frequently handle substantial portions of crude oil and natural gas movements.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this series cover refined petroleum products like gasoline and diesel?
- No, refined fuels are classified under a separate petroleum products category, while this series captures only unrefined crude materials and solid fossil fuels.
- How does this category handle natural gas transport?
- It records natural gas moved via specialized rail containers, though the vast majority of gas transport utilizes pipeline networks outside this specific dataset.
- Why should analysts look at multi-year trends rather than single-year fluctuations for energy freight?
- Energy transport volumes often respond to gradual shifts in power generation infrastructure and policy mandates rather than short-term economic cycles.