Convenience? Shell To 'Unload' 1,000 Retail Locations By 2025

St. Cloud has got lots of gas station options. There are big corporations, smaller mom-and-pop gas stations, but one brand with stations in the area announced it will be 'divesting' in 500 locations a year for the next two years. Shell Oil has announced plans to 'unload' around 1,000 retail locations in the next two years.

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According to TheStreet.com "Giant gas station operator Shell plc has revealed its plans to divest about 500 company-owned retail sites in each year in 2024 and 2025. The oil giant is upgrading its retail network with expanded electric vehicle charging and convenience offers in response to customer needs, the company on March 14 said in its Energy Transition Strategy 2024 report."

Shell in its report didn't specifically state which properties would be "affected by the divesting of properties. No reason was given for its plans to dispose of the 1,000 locations" according to TheStreet.com article.

A quick Google search of Shell gas stations in the St. Cloud area turned up at least 18 different Shell locations from St. Cloud to Paynesville to Clearwater.

According to a 2022 report from Shell, it operated more than 46,000 Shell-branded retail locations, including 12,500 convenience stores worldwide at the end of 2022.

St. Cloud is no stranger to the changing tides of the fuel world. There has been some change over of gas station brands in St. Cloud as Amoco stations are popping up where Speedways used to operate along Division.

Back in November of 2023, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency fined gas stations in St. Cloud for various violations. You can read more about those fines by heading here.