* Panic fuel buying hits capital Libreville
* Union says Total, Shell oil production affected
* Strike began on Monday night over jobs, benefits (Adds detail on production, reasons for the strike)
By Gerauds Obangome
LIBREVILLE, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Top international oilproducers in Gabon were forced to cut output while Gabon's solerefinery was shuttered as more workers joined an industry-widestrike in the former French colony, union ONEP said on Thursday.
The former OPEC member pumps around 230,000 barrels of oilper day but is heavily reliant on imported fuel. Oil accountsfor around 50 percent of Gabon's gross domestic product.
ONEP, which began the strike on Monday night, released anote late on Wednesday showing that output from Royal DutchShell had fallen by 80 percent as a result of thestrike. Output from French major Total had also fallenat the Coucal field, it said.
A Shell spokesman confirmed that production was affected,without giving further details. Total said that output was downby around 10,000 barrels per day because the strike had hamperedits ability to resume work at oilfields after maintenance.
Concern over fuel shortages has created long queues atservice stations in the capital Libreville.
"Sogara (refinery) stopped production yesterday at about1400 (local time)," said Sylvain Mayabi Bine, deputy secretarygeneral at the union ONEP. The plant is the country's solerefinery, processing around 21,000 barrels per day.
An industry source in the oil hub Port-Gentil said thestrike had disrupted supplies of jet fuel to the local airport.
According to ONEP, workers at the fuel distribution firmSGEPP were participating in the strike, although temporary staffhad stepped in to help with deliveries.
ONEP declared the open-ended, industry-wide strike this weekafter weeks of talks with the government collapsed over jobs andbenefits.
The union, which represents a majority of its more than5,000 workers, has been demanding the reinstatement of someworkers who were fired from oil companies, among other issues.
Gabon's President Ali Bongo on Wednesday met with Total CEOPatrick Pouyanne in Libreville, the Presidency said, withoutgiving details of the discussion. (Additional reporting and writing by Emma Farge; editing byDavid Evans)
Tullow Oil (TLW)
