The energy regulatory commission in Mexico has granted most of the new retail fuel station permits to Pemex-branded stations this year, indicating continued favoritism towards the state-owned company.
According to data tracked by Argus, out of the 145 retail fuel station permits approved this year, 93% or 135 permits were granted to Pemex-branded stations, while only 10 permits were granted to private-branded stations.
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Of the 10 permits for private-branded stations that were approved, seven were given to Shell stations, while ExxonMobil, G500, and Repsol each received one permit.
In late 2022, a backlog of 1,000 permits awaiting CRE approval resulted from bureaucratic challenges and delays related to Covid-19. These permits are for various operations, including retail fuel stations, wholesale fuel sales, fuel distribution, and electricity-related activities, and have been requested by both Pemex and non-Pemex operators.
