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Brent oil price closes in on $80, Total workers on strike
Published on February 23, 2010 by oilprices · No CommentsBrent crude oil price is nearing the $80 mark in trading on Tuesday amid a strike by workers of energy major Total entered its sixth day on Monday. France’s government moved to calm fears of petrol shortages during the open ended strike at all of oil giant Total’s refineries, as families hit the gas pedal at the half term school holiday.
Some French drivers rushed to fill their tanks on Sunday after workers at Total raised the threat of shortages. AFP reporters in towns such as Rennes and Toulouse saw queues at filling stations and some pumps ran dry.
In London, Brent crude oil futures for April delivery gained 42 cents and is currently trading at $78.61 cents on the ICE Futures Exchange.
Total workers are striking against the potential closure of an oil refinery in France. Total supplies about half of France’s filling stations.
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