SFDM Depot

Constructed between 1954 and 1955 following a Franco-American agreement which allows for supply of hydro-fuel for the American troops in Europe, exploitation of the Donges-Melun-Metz (DMM)  pipeline system and that of the four oil depots (Donges, La Ferté-Alais, Vatry and Saint-Baussant) was conferred to SFDM by way of a decree taken by the Council of State on 1st March 1995. 

As a subsidiary 95% held by Bolloré Energy (the Grand Port Maritime de Nantes Saint-Nazaire holding 4.95% of capital), French firm Société Française Donges-Metz transports and stores flammable and non-explosive hydrofuels: petrol, diesel, domestic fuel, carbo-reactor, steam crackers.

The DMM is a network of underground pipelines spanning some 640 km which spans from Donges, the Loire estuary, to Saint-Baussant, close to Metz. The DMM annually transports around 2.6 Mt of oil products and is connected to a wharf which can host up to oil vessels, to two refineries, to four receiving depots which groups together 12 storage units at Le Havre-Paris network and the network of NATO shares defence pipelines. 

The storage capacity of all SFDM depots is 713,000 tonnes. Each oil depot groups together 2 to 4 storage units, which are between 5 to 40 km for a total of 111 vats commercially exploited. Over 3.5 Mt of products are annually loaded into tankers for clients. The SFDM also undertakes maintenance and exploitation of two military units for the Army Fuel Service.

As a national defence installation, the DMM tool is supervised by the following tutelage administrations:

• The Special Hydrofuel Service for maintenance of all conferred assets;
• The Directorate General for Energy and the Ministry for Defence.

Exploitation of the DMM tool is supervised by:

• The General Control Department of the Army for regulatory control of depots;
• The Army Fuel Service for Regulatory Control of the pipeline.

Other members of the USI