Romania's Rompetrol Mulls Gas Distr Network Expansion By 2012

Rompetrol Downstream, the retail division of Romania's second-largest oil company, Rompetrol Group NV, owned by Kazakhstan's KazMunaiGaz, plans to extend by 2012 its franchised gas station network with another 250-300 units from independent companies.

Over 400 gas stations operated by independent companies are registered in the Association of private gas distributors.

Rompetrol Downstream plans to extend its fuel distribution area between 2008 and 2012, and to reach a 31% market share in Romania, compared with the current 25% one.

Rompetrol Downstream operates a network of some 400 gas stations countrywide.

Rompetrol, the country's largest vertically integrated oil company Petrom (SNP.RO), Lukoil Romania, a unit of Russian oil company Lukoil Holdings (LKOH.RS), MOL Romania, the local unit of Hungary's oil group MOL, Austrian oil and gas company OMV AG's (OMV.VI) and fuel retailer Agip Romania, a unit of Italy's oil company ENI are the main fuel distributors in Romania, their networks exceeding 1,300 units.

The Rompetrol Group, founded by oil tycoon Dinu Patriciu, operates in 13 countries and employs over 8,000 people. Its main assets are located in Romania, France, Spain and southeastern Europe.

Mediafax