Skip to main content

FLORENCE — Although consumers in Alabama may still associate BP with a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, it isn't clear whether a switch to another brand will bring new business for local convenience store operators.

BP gas stations in the Shoals are being converted to Marathon as part of an acquisition by Marathon earlier this year.

 

Steve Modas, owner of Lil' Steve's on Cox Creek Parkway, already has the new Marathon sign in place.

"We're happy to get Marathon because there's not that many of them around here," Modas said. "I looked, and it looked like the closest one was up around Huntsville.

"It will be a nice little change and fresher look."

The Shoals area has five BP stations. Modas said he also is changing his Texaco business in Muscle Shoals to Marathon.

Some customers have boycotted BP since the Gulf oil spill in 2010.

"I'm really not sure if it will bring us that much more business," Modas said. "BP has tried to make up for the spill as much as they can up and down the Gulf Coast, trying to make amends."

Joe Warren, owner of the BP station on U.S. 72 in Rogersville, said he hopes Marathon will be as good to him as BP has been.

"BP was mighty good to me, even with the oil spill," Warren said. "I never slowed down. I hope Marathon operates with the same integrity."

Warren said he expects within the next six weeks his station will transition to the red, white and blue Marathon logo.

Marathon Petroleum is based in Findlay, Ohio.

BP completed the previously announced sale of its Texas City, Texas, refinery and a portion of its retail and logistics network in the Southeast U.S. to Marathon Petroleum Corp. for an estimated $2.4 billion earlier this year. The deal comprises approximately $600 million in cash, $1.1 billion for the estimated value of hydrocarbon inventory and an earn-out arrangement payable over six years of $700 million (based on assumed future margins and refinery throughput).

"The completion of this divestment is a major milestone in the refocusing of our U.S. fuels portfolio," said Iain Conn, chief executive of BP's global refining and marketing business. "Together with the sale of our Carson, California, refinery, which we also expect to close this year, the divestment of Texas City allows us to focus BP's U.S. fuels investments on our three northern refineries, which are crude feedstock advantaged, and their associated marketing businesses."

Wayne Smith can be reached at 256-740-5746 or wayne.smith@TimesDaily.com. Follow on Twitter@TD_WayneSmith.


__________________________________

"Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality." Edgar Allan Poe.

Last edited by Seven
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

I seldom get BP gas. In the beginning, there was Gulf Gasoline, and it just always ran horrifically in everything I ran it in, so I just would no buy Gulf Gas. Then along comes BP and replaces all the old Gulf stations, so I always considered it just another name for Gulf.
Then along comes the 2010 blowout and pollution of the Gulf of Mexico from their well, so , again, one more strike against them.
There is just no reason to buy BP, gas. AS far as Castrol oil, My daddy always told me to always use Quaker State, and so , I always have, and as far as I can see, no reason to change that habit either.

If you are looking for credit card rewards, one quarter a year Discover gives 5% back to you and this is that quarter. That makes gasooline about 15c cheaper a gallon regardless of what brand it is.

 

Last edited by seeweed

Add Reply

Post

Untitled Document
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×