European refinery output falls 6.2 pct in March -Euroilstock

LONDON, April 22 (Reuters) - European refinery output fell

6.2 percent in March from February as some plants went offline

for seasonal maintenance, data from industry monitor Euroilstock

showed on Tuesday.

Total (NYSE: TOT - news) output fell to 9.919 million barrels per day (bpd) in

March, with the biggest month-on-month falls in gasoline and

naphtha, down 5 percent and 12.7 percent, respectively.

March and April are traditionally the busiest months for

spring turnarounds in Europe and this year was no exception.

Ineos's 210,000 bpd Grangemouth plant in Scotland, Gunvor's

110,000 bpd Ingolstadt refinery in Germany and Galp Energia's

225,000 bpd Sines refinery in Portugal were amongst those taking

units offline in March.

The reduced capacity across Europe meant that the data

showed output declines in all products month-on-month, with

middle distillates down 3.7 percent and fuel oil down 2.2

percent.

Perhaps more indicative of the refining sector's general

health were the year-on-year declines in output across the

board. Total refinery output was down 6.1 percent on March 2013,

whilst fuel oil showed the biggest year-on-year drop, down 7.5

percent.

Overall, refinery crude intake was down 1.9 percent on the

month to 9.645 million bpd and down 4.4 percent year-on-year.

EUROILSTOCK REFINERY OUTPUT TABLE (in '000 bpd)

Change vs Change Change

(pct) (pct)

Mar 14 Feb 14 Feb 14 Mar 13 Feb 14 Mar 13

Total 9,919 10,575 -656 -644 -6.2 -6.1

Gasoline 2,375 2,501 -126 -82 -5.0 -3.3

Middle 5,349 5,553 -204 -206 -3.7 -3.7

distillates

Fuel oil 1,069 1,093 -24 -87 -2.2 -7.5

Naphtha 795 911 -116 -40 -12.7 -4.8

Crude intake 9,645 9,829 -184 -443 -1.9 -4.4

(Reporting by Claire Milhench; editing by Jane Baird)