France is running out of petrol… Could Spain be next?
Fuel shortages have hit around 15% of French service stations but Spain's industry insists its supplies are more secure
Around 1,500 petrol stations across France have reported shortages of petrol or diesel in recent days, raising fresh questions about whether fuel problems could spread to other European countries, including Spain.
The shortages currently affect around 15% of French service stations and have been made worse by motorists rushing to fill their tanks amid fears that supplies could run out.
Spanish fuel industry representatives, however, believe the situation on this side of the border is very different.
The Spanish Fuel Industry Association (AICE) has pointed to the country's extensive refining capacity, which is among the strongest in Europe. Major operators including Repsol, Cepsa, BP and Galp have invested heavily in their refineries in recent years, helping Spain become one of the EU's leading countries for fuel production.
Víctor García Nebreda, secretary general of the Spanish Association of Fuel Retailers (Aevecar), also considers a French-style shortage unlikely in Spain unless the disruption in the Middle East continues for an exceptionally long time.
France has faced additional pressure because TotalEnergies introduced a price cap at its service stations, encouraging motorists to fill up there in search of cheaper fuel. The resulting surge in demand has added to the supply problems.
Spain's fuel support measures have been applied across the sector rather than being concentrated on particular operators, according to AICE.
There are still major uncertainties surrounding the wider crisis. The Strait of Hormuz remains a key concern and several refineries in the Gulf region have been damaged, with repairs and the return to full production potentially taking time.
Spain is also relatively less dependent on the Persian Gulf for its crude oil. The country imported more than 61.4 million tonnes in 2025, with less than 11% coming from Saudi Arabia and Iraq. In July, the figure was just 4.3%.
The government is meanwhile preparing a new package of measures linked to the Middle East conflict before existing fuel support arrangements expire on October 1.
The International Energy Agency has warned of an unprecedented global fuel supply crisis, but Spanish industry representatives maintain that the country's refining capacity and diverse sources of crude offer some protection against the shortages currently affecting France.
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