MRPL: Plans 103 retail outlets by 2013

Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL), a subsidiary of state-run explorer
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, has announced its plans to open 103 retail outlets by
March 2013.

The company has given green signal to go ahead with the plans to open more fuel
stations.

The company has approval in place since 2006 to set up 500 retail outlets but at present
only two are operating under the HiQ brand.

Elaborating further, MRPL Managing Director U K Basu said the company would open
28 outlets during the financial year 2011-12 and another 95 outlets by March 2013.
The company is in the process of exploring the sites including Shell India which is
offering 20 of its 80 operational retail outlets and 20 sites to set up such outlets.

With MRPL foray into the marketing segment the companies would add up to nine.
Currently there are three public sector companies-- Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat
Petroleum Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation -- and another five with fuel
marketing.