Enoc stations in north are selling petrol despite ultimatum

Stations are still selling petrol 10 months after supply was cut off.

Two stations on Emirates Road in Ajman continue to pump fuel day and night. Jeff Topping / The National

SHARJAH // Ten months after Enoc stopped supplying petrol to its dozens of stations across the Northern Emirates, three of the stations are, somehow, still pumping out petrol.

Bassma Essa, spokeswoman for Enoc Group, was unable to explain the phenomenon.

Of the three stations with the bottomless pumps, two are in Ajman, on a stretch of Emirates Road that links the emirate to Ras Al Khaimah, and one is in Fujairah.

Last June, Enoc shut its operations in Sharjah after failing to comply with a 72-hour ultimatum issued by the Sharjah Executive Council to resume refuelling or close.

That followed a month of problems supplying petrol to the Northern Emirates.

The Enoc group, which also runs Eppco stations, closed pumps, shops, blocked car service bays and removed items for sale, including car lubricants, at petrol stations.

In other emirates such as Ajman, the group continued to sell merchandise but cancelled fuel supplies.

But for drivers filling up at an Enoc station on Emirates Road last week, the dispute was not on their minds - so long as the petrol kept on flowing.

"Business is very busy here," said Saeed Al Bayati. "Many people who take this road from Ras Al Khaimah without enough petrol have to drive a long distance before they can find this station to refuel."

Mrs Essa said Enoc is still in discussions to resume operations throughout the Northern Emirates, but its stations remain closed.

In the meantime, long queues for petrol are a common sight at most Adnoc and Emarat outlets - the only companies supplying petrol to the Northern Emirates.

"For the last two months I did not refuel in Sharjah as my work is in Dubai, but today am surprised to find the long queue at this station," said Lamya Ali a Sharjah resident who stopped at the Emarat station on Al Arouba Road.

Many people avoid the queues by refuelling in Dubai before driving home to Sharjah.

In September, an Enoc executive said the company had sustained billions of dirhams in losses because of the federally mandated cap on fuel prices.

"Yes, we are not pumping fuel today," said Zaid Alqufaidi, Enoc's managing director of marketing. "But once the decision is taken on the pricing, I think it will [start]."