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Market Chatter: Shell to Divest French Motorway Filling Station Network

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Shell (SHEL) is planning to sell its network of 60 motorway petrol stations in France, French newspaper Les Echos reported on Tuesday.

The energy major has reportedly shared internal documents with employees and suppliers outlining plans to sell roughly 60 highway sites currently operated under multi-year contracts with motorway concessionaires such as Vinci, Cofiroute, and ASF, the report said.

While Shell does not directly own the stations, it manages the branding, fuel supply, and maintenance services for the network, which generated a robust operating profit of 108.5 million Euro ($127.5 million) in 2025.

According to the report, Shell has informed worker representatives that it intends to identify a buyer by the third quarter of 2026, with a goal to finalize the transaction in early 2027.

The company declined to comment.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

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