Der Bund muss seine Pflichtlager für Kerosin öffnen. Nun drohen auch beim Heizöl Engpässe

Many homeowners have not filled their tanks to capacity due to high prices, but low water levels on the Rhine prevent dealers from restocking extensively. They warn of a worsening situation in the coming weeks. The site was once a green meadow at the edge of a forest, now it is a sea of towering steel tanks near the medieval town of Mellingen in the Aargau canton.

Built over fifty years ago, it is the largest storage facility in Switzerland, a safety net for difficult times. The federal government has had to authorize four payments from the mineral oil duty stores since September to ensure supply. This week, it concerns jet fuel, with risks of bottlenecks at Zurich and Geneva airports. While the supply situation for petrol is secured, it is tense.

The government warns of "very tense" supply for heating oil as well. Heizöl remains the heating fuel for one-third of all residential buildings in Switzerland. The situation could escalate quickly. Andreas Flütsch, head of the mineral oil dealer Migrol, warns of difficulties if demand increases sharply in the coming weeks. A winter cold snap or further falling heating oil prices could trigger such a surge in demand.

"In such a scenario, we would need to tap into the heating oil duty stores in coordination with the federal government," he says. Both Migrol and Agrola dealers warn of the risk of supply vulnerability for diesel and heating oil in the coming weeks. The main issue lies in foreign supply. The Rhine's low water has reduced cargo ships' capacity or prevented them from offloading altogether, making it difficult to fill the gaps through rail transport or other means.

Rail transport faces its own bottlenecks due to construction and operational disruptions, leading to train cancellations. Andrea Studer, director of the duty store organization Carbura, expects sustained relief only if prolonged rainfall raises Rhine water levels again. Should there be additional railway interruptions or problems at European refineries, it would further complicate supply.

A concerning factor for heating oil is that many homeowners did not fill their tanks to full capacity last winter. As a result, private heating oil tanks are only partially filled now, with levels still below the long-term average. The rising price of heating oil, nearly double since the beginning of the year, has deterred customers from filling their tanks or waiting for prices to drop.

This combination of factors creates a challenging situation. Should numerous homeowners request heating oil simultaneously in the approaching winter, the industry will face difficulties obtaining additional quantities. Delivering each order via tank truck is also challenging, especially if demand surges sharply.