One day we were driving and I saw a Lukoil gas station. Lukoil? Who the heck is that? I didn’t think much of it.
Then saw another.
And another.
They were popping up everywhere, seemingly overnight! It started to get really weird.
When I mentioned it to Michael, he speculated that they were the big Russian company, and that they seemed to be replacing the Mobils.
So this morning when I got up I had a little talk with Dr. Google.
Michael’s speculations were absolutely correct.
Lukoil Replaces Mobil Stations in Philadelphia Area
Red-and-white gas stations are popping up everywhere, displacing one of America’s most familiar brand names in the Philadelphia area.
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The Russian company has already converted about 80 Mobil stations in the area and is remodeling nine a week at a cost of up to $50,000 apiece.
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Last year, Lukoil bought more than 750 Mobil stations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania from ConocoPhillips for $266 million. The stations had been cut loose from Exxon Mobil Corp. in 2000 to satisify antitrust concerns.
Lukoil does not own all the sites. It supplies about 470 under contract with independent dealers.