Mexico Regulator Approves 41 Fuel Station Rebrandings in Largest May Meeting
Mexico’s energy regulator CNE, authorized 41 fuel retail stations to change brands in its May 26 session, the largest branding-related resolution of the year. More than 30 of the approved stations switched from unbranded brands.
Among the stations authorized, most adopted the Chevron brand, while six switched to Silver. Valero Energy gained one station and five BP-branded stations switched to Repsol brand, while three others to Pemex.
Separately, seven court rulings granted permit holders the right to change brands, allowing stations to switch from Pemex to Arco, Flash, Star, and Mobil.
Unbranded stations, commonly known as “white-flag” stations, had historically been allowed to operate without displaying a commercial brand, enabling them to source fuel from multiple suppliers.
Under Mexico’s new hydrocarbons law enacted by President Claudia Sheinbaum and fully implemented in March 2025, all fuel stations must display a commercial brand and disclose their fuel suppliers, part of a broader regulatory effort to curb the sale of illegally sourced fuel.
CNE also approved 13 permit modifications involving changes to fuel marketers permits during the May 26 meeting, with Servicios Gasolineros de México accounting for five of the total authorizations.
Twenty applications for retail fuel sales permits scheduled for discussion at its May 12 session were postponed and were not addressed during the May 26 meeting.
The number of new service stations authorized by CNE this year holds at 66, according to regulatory records.
During the same May 26 session, the regulator also denied two service station permit applications in the states of Nuevo León and Guanajuato, although it did not disclose the reasons for the denials.
In addition, nine fuel marketers were authorized to add products to their fuel permits. including Combustibles y Lubricantes de Río Grande, Newyo Gas, and Dus Petroleum.
The regulator also granted four permits for fuel transportation by means other than pipelines including one to Fletes AFU and three to private entities. In addition, it approved one permit transfer modification.
CNE also approved three authorizations for updates to existing service stations, involving the addition of fuel dispensers or storage tanks, or the reassignment of fuel lines.
Thirteen permit holders received approvals for changes to their corporate structures, including four stations operated by Auto Servicio Casa Magna and two by Gasolinería Agua Blanca.
In a separate matter, a final court ruling filed by Cloeco Comercializadora y Proveedora invalidated a 2021 resolution by the extinct Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) that declared the expiration of 125 fuel marketer permits.
CNE also approved resolutions preventing the expiration of two fuel marketing permits held by International Oil Trading and Strategic Services and Energéticos San Roberto.
In addition, the regulator denied two self-supply fuel station permits, requested by Kansas City Southern de México for a project in the State of Mexico and Compañía Occidental Mexicana for a project in Baja California Sur.
Kansas City Southern de Mexico was also referenced in a separate resolution approving a change in the company’s ownership structure related to a fuel transportation permit.
CNE also denied two permits for fuel transportation by means other than pipelines, one requested by Grupo Gasolinero Rivas and another by a private entity.
Reporting by José Luis Adriano, jadriano@opisnet.com; Editing by Karla Omaña, komana@opisnet.com