WOQOD Opens First of 50 Trail-blazing Fuel Stations
April 27, 2006
WOQOD (Qatar Fuel) opens its first petrol station at Abu Hamour last night. The QR 19mn state-of-the-art facility provides a range of services, and sets off a new trend in fuel dispensing in Qatar.
The facility houses a convenience store, internet café, post office, food court, laundry, car wash and oil change bays among other services. A mosque has also been built at the premises. The petrol station will function round the clock.
Speaking to Gulf Times after inaugurating the petrol station, Second Deputy Premier and Energy and Industry Minister, H.E. Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah, who is also WOQOD Chairman, said a key feature of the fuel dispensing point was the installation of a vapor recovery system to reduce pollution. The system receives hydrocarbon vapors from tankers at the Petrol Station itself during discharge of petroleum products. The vapor will be returned to the loading gantries to be reprocessed and recovered by the recovery unit.
Al Attiyah said the Abu Hamour facility was the first in a series of 50 petrol stations being planned by WOQOD over the next five years. Three more petrol stations will be inaugurated before the year-end. The second WOQOD petrol station will be inaugurated at Messaimer within four months.
WOQOD Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Muhammed Khalifa Turki Al Subai, said the petrol station was designed by the international firm Circle. The new sites have double walled underground tanks with leak detection systems.
Fuel pipelines have been built to the latest international standards. The fuel dispensers are the most advanced technologically and cannot be found anywhere outside the US.
“The new SIDRA brand shop within the facility brings convenience shopping to Qatar. As in the case of the petrol stations all the shops will function round the clock,” he said.
WOQOD Retail and Marketing Manager, Mark Vidler, said the pump attendants would offer to clean the windscreens of vehicles as they halt for fuelling.
“We expect this to set a new trend in Qatar. Our competitors may follow suit and this will enhance the level of customer service across Qatar,” Vidler said.
He said all the WOQOD customer service personnel had been through 200 hours of intensive training which covered first aid, fire fighting, basics of the Arabic language, product knowledge and customer service.
Vidler said WOQOD petrol stations would offer a carwash service that would be faster than other such facilities in Qatar.
“We also recycle about 90% of water used to minimize environmental impact. Several tyre bays and workshops have also been provided at our petrol stations. Customers can also choose from a range of lubricants,” he said.
The main contractor on the site was Gettco.
In a recent interview with Gulf Times, Al Subai said all new petrol stations in Qatar would be established and operated by WOQOD. The Company has been given exclusive rights to establish and operate the petrol stations, whose design will be standardized.
“Every petrol station we are sitting up will be a modern fuel dispensing point,” he said.
Gulf Times
Business Section