Shell to sell Finland oil products marketing business

Royal Dutch Shell PLC has put its oil products retail and marketing business in Finland up for sale, a company spokesman said. This is the latest in a series of asset sales from Shell’s downstream business in an effort to focus on more profitable sectors. The assets include 230 retail sites, 58 unmanned refueling stations for commercial road transport, its aviation fuel business and its liquid petroleum gas business. The sale is at an early stage and the spokesman declined to comment who could be potential buyers. Shell announced last year its intention to sell its refinery in Gothenburg, Sweden, which is part of the same Nordic supply chain as the Finland business. Shell has already outsourced the distribution and marketing of Shell-branded lubricants to Univar, so completion of the sale will mean a total exit from Finland, the spokesman said. Shell’s refining and marketing businesses in Norway and Denmark are not currently for sale, he said. (April 6, 2010)