Dubai’s ENOC Receives Nod For 40 Fuel Stations In Saudi Arabia

UAE-based Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) announced that it has won the qualification certificate from the Saudi Municipal and Rural Affairs Ministry to manage, operate and maintain fuel service stations across the Kingdom’s highways and roads.

ENOC, owned by the government of Dubai, is one of the three companies to win the Saudi certification, it said in a statement.

The oil and gas firm announced in 2012 that it planned to open 40 new petrol and retail outlets across Saudi Arabia. The move was a part of a joint venture with Saudi-based petroleum retailer Aldrees Petroleum & Transport Services Company.

But as per the rules in the Kingdom, fuel stations on highways –unlike those in the cities- require a certification from the government to begin their operations.

ENOC, which recently opened its first full-fledged service station in Dammam, said it plans to increase the number of service stations in the Kingdom following the certification.

The company’s current service station in Saudi has also integrated a number of features including the first Zoom convenience store, Costa Coffee and Burger King outlets, SABB’s ATM and an oil change facility.

“The opening of our first service station in the Kingdom is a perfect fit to ENOC’s business diversification initiatives,” said Saeed Khoory, chief executive officer of ENOC.

“The full spectrum of convenience retail and food & beverage outlets will be offered as part of the service station, which will further grow our retail business.”

ENOC also recently set up a joint venture with Dubai-based Tristar Transport to provide specialised logistics service for the Kingdom’s petroleum and chemicals sector.

The JV will have an initial capital outlay of SAR30 million ($7.99 million) and will focus on providing specialised logistics services for the Kingdom’s petroleum and chemicals sectors, the state-owned firm said.