Woqod to open 15 new petrol stations in the country soon

If the Qatar Fuel Company (Woqod) has its way, then the long waiting times in front of fuel stations is likely to soon become a memory of the past.

Woqod recently announced its plans to open 15 new petrol stations in the country this year, as part of its push to better manage fuel supply.

“This year, we’ll try hard to open at least 15 new stations. We’re in negotiations with the government for around 40 plots of land, which we’ll receive soon. As we’ve mentioned earlier, our plan is to operate 100 stations by 2020,” Woqod CEO Ibrahim Jaham Al Kuwari told Gulf Times.

Woqod, which currently operated 56 gasoline stations in Qatar, wants to open more fuel stations provided they get lands allotted by the government.

“Out of the 15 planned new gasoline stations, 10 are in the construction stage while the remaining five are in the tendering stage,” Al Kuwari told Qatar Tribune, on the sidelines of the company’s annual general meeting.

Of the 15 new fuel stations, four will have facility for vehicle inspection (Fahes) and these stations will be spread throughout the country.

“The new stations will cater to the needs of the areas with a growing population and will be spread across the country,” said Al Kuwari.

He added that Woqod was in negotiations with a local partner for a joint venture to establish a lubricant company.

Woqod currently sells a wide range of lubricants under different brand names such as Ghaf for gasoline engine oils, and Qorm for diesel engine oils, which are blended by other companies for Woqod.

AlKuwari said Woqod was able to open 19 new stations, including mobile terminals, around Qatar in 2016.

In Woqod’s 2016 annual report, Al Kuwari said in addition to the stations that opened and began operating last year, there are nine new locations in the process of obtaining final licences in Al A’akla, Lusail in North Doha; al A’aqda in Al Khor, Abu Nakhla on Salwa Road; Aba Sulail on the southern road; Hamad International Airport; and Umm Ghuwailina in central Doha.