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29 March 2024

Adnoc starts rebranding Emarat pumps in N. Emirates

Published
By V M Sathish

Many of the Emarat fuel stations in the Northern Emirates, which were acquired last year by Adnoc for Distribution (Adnoc-Fod), are now undergoing total facelift of their exterior and interior of their convenience stores as well as their fuel dispensing system. By April 1, some of the acquired fuel outlets will be fully rebranded with upgraded facilities.

After the pilot Emarat station in Sharjah at Al Madar was refurbished as an Adnoc pump, several other outlets in Sharjah and Ajman are now undergoing a facelift, as per the original schedule of refurbishing 75 Emarat stations acquired by the Abu Dhabi-based fuel marketing company.  The full rebranding exercise is expected to be completed in five years.

Customers are greeted by empty shelves in some Emarat stations which are now being rebranded as Adnoc pumps. Many things, which are missing from the shelves, are expected to be available after completing the overhaul and upgrading of the interiors.

“We are not replenishing stocks because the interior of the convenience stores will undergo a change. We hope that by April 1 the stores will be refurbished and restructured in the same pattern as Adnoc stations. We are also introducing a new fuel monitoring system that will detect fuel quantity and automatically check water spillage into the fuel pumps. Even if there is a water spillage by accident, the computer system will alert the supervisors about it,” a manager of an Emarat petrol station said.

Some customers complained recently that water was found mixed with petrol which damaged their vehicles.

It is also learnt that some of the items earlier sold in Emarat petrol stations may disappear from the rebranded Adnoc stations.

Employees are also expecting new uniforms from April 1. Former Emarat employees also appear to be happy as their salaries and other benefits will now be as per Adnoc-Fod scales.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company for Distribution (Adnoc-Fod) signed an agreement last year to acquire 75 petrol stations in the Northern Emirates and the Sharjah terminal fuel depot in Khalid Port from Emirates General Petroleum Corporation (Emarat). From the beginning of last year, Adnoc-Fod has been distributing petrol and diesel to these 75 outlets from its Sharjah depot, which is the second largest Adnoc storage facility after Abu Dhabi.

In an interview with the current issue of the ‘Afaq’ in house magazine, Adbullah Salem Al Dhaheri, CEO of Adnoc-Fod, said the company is building 21 new service stations across different Adnoc- designed areas in the UAE besides managing 80 service stations in the design or survey stage. With the acquisition of 74 Emarat stations, Adnoc-Fod now manages 300 service stations in the UAE, the CEO said.

As per the agreement, 30 Emarat stations in Sharjah, 10 in Ajman, 17 in Ras Al Khaimah, 12 in Fujairah, six in Umm Al Quwain are now under Adnoc-Fod’s network.

After Enoc/Eppco closed down more than 80 outlets in Sharjah and the Northern Emirates, motorists have been crowding at the remaining pumps. Customers in Sharjah, who were particularly affected, rushed to fuel stations on the Dubai-Sharjah border areas where there were long queues for petrol and diesel.