OREANDA-NEWS. On 24 August 2009 was announced, that Gazprom Neft had acquired a network of filling stations consisting of 40 fuelling facilities and 2 oil depots in the Chelyabinsk Region.

The fuelling facilities will be managed by Gazpromneft-Chelyabinsk established in 2008. Within 2009, the company aims at increasing the filling stations network sales volume by 10% as compared with 2008. The fuel to the company’s filling stations of the Chelyabinsk Region will be supplied from the Omsk Refinery.

At the moment there is a system of fuel cards launched and being implemented in the Chelyabinsk Region meant to open up the opportunities of rendering corporate services for non-cash payment. This system will be expanded to all Gazprom Neft’s filling stations within Russia.

In 2009, there is a new brand is planned to be introduced at 230 fuelling facilities operating currently under different brands. Within the framework of the said project, the filling stations in the Chelyabinsk Region are scheduled for rebranding within 2010 – 2011. Gazprom Neft currently operates 898 working filling stations in 17 regions of the country.

Gazprom Neft Chairman of the Management Board of Alexander Dyukov stated:

“The Company’s strategy in the sphere of unified fuelling network development involves increasing of local and international oil products market share by means of continual investing into upgrading of refining capacities and network expansion in various regions.

“Acquiring a network of filling stations in a major industrial center like the Chelyabinsk Region boosts the proportion of the Ural Federal District in Gazprom Neft’s regional sales pattern and substantially expands the Company’s regional fuel market representation in the Urals.”