Muscat: The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion (MOCIIP) will start implementing the provisions of the new regulations for gas stations issued by Ministerial Resolution 142/2025 as part of its efforts to develop the fuel filling station sector, enhance the quality of services provided to consumers.
MOCIIP said that the number of applications for the establishment of new gas stations reached 16 and the issuance of two operating licenses and 6 licenses for the establishment of fuel filling stations
Nasra bint Sultan Al Habsi, Director General of Commerce at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, stressed that the new updates in the regulations for fuel filling stations come as part of the ongoing institutional efforts to improve the quality of services and develop the infrastructure of the energy sector.
Eng. Ahmed bin Mubarak Al Balushi, Head of the Petroleum Products Licensing Section at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, said that the new regulation represents a qualitative leap in the regulation of the sector, explaining that it came in line with market variables and urban planning requirements.
Categories
Gas stations have been classified into four categories according to the area and the quality of services provided, including: integrated stations with a minimum of 10 thousand square meters, commercial stations with an area of 3 thousand square meters, smart self-service stations with an area of 800 square meters, in addition to mobile stations that provide their services through mobile units.
Distance between two stations
The distance between the stations should not be less than 5 kilometers in the same direction or the opposite direction on non-dual roads, with exceptions for some locations in Muscat Governorate and the states of Salalah and Sohar, according to considerations of economic feasibility and the needs of the regions, and stipulated that the distance between the integrated stations should not be less than 50 kilometers in the same direction, with the possibility of an exception by a decision of the competent committee according to specific technical and planning criteria.
Requirements
The establishment of gas stations requires the availability of a title deed, lease contract or usufruct right, and that the site should be dedicated to commercial or residential commercial purposes, in addition to meeting the requirements of economic feasibility and technical and planning safety, in addition to providing the service of supplying hydrogen vehicles.
Basic facilities
The regulation obliges integrated plants to provide a set of basic services, including service and commercial facilities, parking for vehicles, solar energy infrastructure, and charging points for electric vehicles, while allowing the addition of hydrogen filling points according to approved controls.
Submission of application
the Ministry clarified that license applications are submitted to marketing companies that evaluate the sites and refer them to the competent authorities, where the applicant has been granted forms to obtain the approvals of the competent authorities, and the operating license is issued within 30 days of completing the requirements, and for a period of three years, renewable for a period of three years.
The Ministry confirmed that the regulation has specified administrative penalties starting with a warning, then financial fines, and may reach the suspension or cancellation of the license in serious cases, stressing that these measures aim to raise safety levels, achieve a balanced geographical distribution of gas stations, and ensure that licensees adhere to the approved standards.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
