NAZI OIL SUPPLIES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 246, 14 September 1940, Page 7

NAZI OIL SUPPLIES

CONSTANTLY ATTACKED

DEVASTATING RAIDS

(United Press Association—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 1U a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 13. Over 700 o£lsoo bombing raids carried out by the R.A.F. in Germany and German-occupied territory, covering 200 localities, have been on the territory of the Reich itself.

Tho chief objectives have been oil depots, refineries, armament works, aircraft works, aerodromes, docks, naval bases, goods yards, rail junctions, main lines, barges, shipping on canals, etc. Pile particular importance which attaches to the attacks on synthetic oil plants and oil refineries is appreciated when it is recalled that Germany’s production of oil is 6,200,000 tone, and that Germany’s synthetic production is 2,500,000 tons. Forty per cent, of this synthetic production, 1,000,000 tons, is in Western Germany, where the plants have been continuously and heavily attacked in tho last two months. A further 1,300,000 tons are produced in Central Germany, and attacks on these plants have now begun, including that at Leuna, which lias an output of about 400,000 tons annually. REFINERIES HIT. Another very important part of the Gorman oil industry is her refining plant. Germany has a total refining capacity of about 3,000,000 tons a year. Of this total about 2,500,000 tons are situated at Hamburg, Hanover, Bremen and Western Germany, including all producers of high-grade lubricating oils. Owing to the shortage of crude oil supplies other than from domestic wells and Russian imports, these refineries are not likely to have been working at lull pressure, but they are still extremely suitable targets because a very large percentage of Germany’s commercial storage capacity is located at the oil refineries. If, therefore, Germany wishes to hold the large stocks she has in store a considerable proportion at the refineries is liable to constant attack bv the R.A.F. The whole of the 2,500,000 tons refinery capacity in Western Germany has been heavily and repeatedly attacked.