Oil can quickly become scarce if wars, conflicts or natural disasters occur in producing or transit countries, and supply shortages can also arise as the result of sanctions or boycotts. In Switzerland, the supply of oil can become restricted if, for example, strikes occur in the ports of Marseilles or Genoa, or if refineries have to be shut down.

If countries that supply gas reduce the contractually agreed quantities, whether for political reasons, due to problems with the pipeline network or because they need more gas for their own consumption, this, too, can lead to supply shortages.

What can you do?
Your company, too, could be affected by interruptions to the supply of heating oil and gas for use as process heat or heating fuel. It may be advisable for you to install a dual-fuel system that can be switched from gas to heating oil (or vice versa) at any time. You would then no longer be dependent on a single energy source, and could also benefit from any decision that may be taken to release compulsory stocks of heating oil for dual-fuel system.

What can the government do?
In the event of a shortage of oil products, the federal government will take measures to secure the national supply for up to six months. 

Measures on the part of National Economic Supply include: 

• Release of compulsory stocks (petrol, heating oil, diesel, aviation fuel).

In the event of a gas supply shortage, major consumers equipped with a dual-fuel system can switch to heating oil and thus offset a supply shortage of up to 40 percent of the national level of gas consumption. In the case of single-fuel systems, consumption restrictions only have to be anticipated in the event of major sustained supply crises.