Clarification to Les Echos Article "Guerre Au Moyen-Orient: À Singapour, Le Gotha De La Pétrochimie Tourne Au Ralenti, Menaçant Le Modèle De La Cité-Etat"

We refer to the article "Guerre au Moyen-Orient: à Singapour, le gotha de la pétrochimie tourne au ralenti, menaçant le modèle de la cité-Etat" on 29 April 2026 by Mr Nicolas Rauline.

The article contains inaccuracies on Singapore’s petrochemical industry and Jurong Island. It claims that the Jurong Rock Caverns (JRC) “housing strategic oil reserves…currently cover barely two weeks’ worth of imports”, that production of refined products has "plummeted", and cites the revision of Singapore's food production targets as an example of “Singapore’s entire development model being called into question”. These characterisations are untrue.

As a major oil trading and refinery export hub, our refineries continue to operate and export fuel products to their customers despite the energy crisis, leveraging global networks to source crude supplies from multiple markets. Singapore has not had to draw on fuel reserves or implement rationing.

The article misrepresents JRC as Singapore’s strategic oil reserve facility and the only one. JRC provides commercial underground storage for liquid hydrocarbons that serves our refineries and oil traders. It is just one of many commercial facilities housing oil that strengthens our energy security.

On the incorrect assertion that Singapore revised its local production targets because of the Middle East conflict, Singapore had in fact refreshed its food resilience strategy last year, as local production plays an important role in our farming eco-system. This was announced by Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu at the Singapore International Agri-Food Week 2025.

This letter serves as the Singapore Government’s right of reply. We ask that Les Echos publish the letter in full.

Gary Low
Director, Communications and Engagement Division
Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI)