Gas Stations Exit the Market: Who and Why is Selling Fuel Stations in Russia

The number of gas stations (GS) for sale in Russia is on the rise. This trend pertains not only to individual independent gas stations that are not owned by major oil companies, but also to networks that are "offloading ballast" - disposing of their least profitable assets.

There are typically two reasons for such a step: the desire to profit from selling a promising business or, conversely, the attempt to rid themselves of a loss-making enterprise. In the latter case, if the asset fails to sell, it is highly likely that it will be shut down. This, in turn, impacts fuel supply, particularly in regions where there are no major networked gas stations. Additionally, a decrease in the number of players inevitably leads to reduced competition, and while there may not be an increase in prices, they will be maintained at a high level.

The number of gas stations began to decline as early as 2025. According to "OMT-Consult", it decreased by 1.6%. In the first half of this year, there was a further decline of 1%. Notably, mobile gas stations (container-based) have mostly disappeared.

By the second half of 2026, there were approximately 28,000 gas stations in Russia, with just over 23,400 of them being traditional gas stations (non-mobile stations selling gasoline and diesel).

The share of independent players in the total number of stations is about 65%. They are most concentrated in the east and south of Russia. However, in terms of gasoline and diesel sales, independents account for only 30% of the market. Primarily, independent gas stations purchase fuel in small wholesale amounts, where the highest price increases and supply disruptions were observed this summer. This may explain the owners' desire to sell their businesses, although the process also affects larger players.

For instance, last week, active gas stations, land plots for business along federal highways, and production sites of "Bashneft-Retail" were put up for sale or lease. The number of objects can be gauged by their geography; they are located in Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, Kurgan, Orenburg, Samara, Ulyanovsk, Penza, Vladimir, Moscow, Ryazan, and Smolensk regions, as well as in the republics of Tatarstan, Mordovia, Udmurtia, Chuvashia, and Mari El. Earlier, it became known that "Gazprom" and "Lukoil" were selling their "non-core" gas stations. On the latter's website, listings for eight gas stations are still posted.

Regarding independent players, everyone is aware of the issues facing one of the largest independent gas station networks, "Trassa," which is experiencing a debt crisis and may undergo external management or go up for auction. Overall, around 170 gas stations are currently for sale on various trading platforms.

However, as noted by Yuri Stankevich, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Energy, in a conversation with "RG," it is not entirely appropriate to speak of a "mass sell-off." Today, fuel retail represents a heterogeneous competitive landscape, with fragments in different regions of the country varying significantly. Fuel shortages have primarily impacted independent gas stations. Such stations have often "pulled hoses," leading to the perception of an oversaturated market where assets de facto lack application.

Nevertheless, the geography of gas station sales listings spans almost the entire country. According to Sergey Tereshkin, CEO of Open Oil Market, the situation is attributed to diminishing profitability of gas station operations and issues related to fuel accessibility for commerce. Exchange prices for gasoline and diesel have risen by 30-37%, with even higher prices seen in the small wholesale market, resulting in fuel retail being in a more precarious position than the subsidized oil refining segment.

Additionally, the drop in fuel availability on the exchange is due to reduced quotas for mandatory sales by major oil companies. The lower the quota and the more significant the relaxations of over-the-counter transactions, the less fuel is available for traders. Ultimately, independent gas stations, which buy gasoline and diesel from traders, bear the losses. A reduction in the physical volume of sales means that gas station operators earn less on each liter of fuel sold.

According to Sergey Frolov, managing partner of NEFT Research, the redistribution of ownership in the retail fuel market under current conditions was expected. Currently, private owners of individual gas stations or small networks with low efficiency are mainly leaving the business. Major oil companies are also optimizing unprofitable locations and restructuring their networks to adapt to new conditions.

The expert believes that the reduction in the number of gas stations is unlikely to have a significant impact on the overall situation in the fuel sector, as, in his view, they were often standing empty. With an improvement in the fuel supply situation, the number of private gas stations will rise again, particularly if high prices persist.

It is hardly possible to sell a gas station now; this needed to be done two years ago when the business was profitable, says Dmitry Gusev, Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the "Reliable Partner" association, member of the expert council of the "Gas Stations of Russia" competition. The issue is not that they are attempting to sell; rather, we do not know how necessary all these gas stations are. Meanwhile, priorities for the domestic fuel market are now established. The primary goal is to ensure supply to major companies' networked gas stations, agricultural producers, and industrial enterprises, but not to independent gas station networks, the expert clarifies.

A similar view is expressed by Stankevich. "Unfortunately, the situation in 2026 has demonstrated that the fuel retail market has developed chaotically over many years. We lack a qualified understanding of the sufficient number of gas stations required to confidently state the availability of infrastructure for consumers. Systematic planning of retail network development is not implemented, resulting in many municipalities, even in Central Russia, lacking well-functioning stations. For instance, in relation to power generation and heat supply facilities, such planning is conducted at the level of documents regularly updated by the government (placement schemes). The situation in fuel retail also needs to be addressed," he stated.

Source: RG.RU