Levant Oil, incorporated in Lebanon, has been trading, importing and storing oil derivatives since it opened a storage terminal in Jiyeh in 2001. This year, the company is launching a chain of “LEO” gas stations across Lebanon. The Levant Oil Group comprises three companies: Levant Oil International, which started up in February 2005, and specializes in general oil trading and business development; Levant Oil, which specializes in storage and distribution within Lebanon; and LEO, which started up a few months ago and specializes in lubricant blending and station development. Andy Kemp heads Levant Oil International’s import operations. He has also worked for Shell Oil, Goldman Sachs and Salomon Smith Barney. Executive asked him about Levant Oil’s new chain of service stations and Lebanon’s oil sector in general. E What is the rationale behind opening the new service station chain now? I think it’s an effort to provide a
