ENOC Group has piloted its first compact fuel station concept in Dubai – a new fuelling format offering customers accessible and convenient refuelling services.

The pilot station is designed to cater to residents living in residential communities, and is equipped with one above tank fuel dispenser and a vending machine. The fuelling unit is distinguished for its mobility as it can be dismantled, relocated and re-installed at locations without easy access to fuel in just 30 days. These fuelling stations will be placed in the parking areas of urban locations. The pilot station is in Arabian Ranches to serve adjoining communities too. With an anticipated capacity of 30,000L, ENOC will be able to fuel 400 vehicles per day.

His Excellency Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Group CEO, ENOC, said: “The growth in the number of UAE registered vehicles keeps pace alongside the growth in the country’s population. This is directly translated into greater demand for fuel stations in the years ahead. The anticipated 25 million visitors expected to visit the UAE ahead of Expo 2020 Dubai presents a need in the market to innovate and offer our customers a new fuelling offering, which will serve areas where it is difficult to build new stations. The success of this pilot can largely benefit us as we ramp up our service offering and network reach ahead of the Expo, largely due to the mobility of this concept.”

With a hundred-fold increase in population over the last six decades to 9.4 million at the end of 2017 according to the UAE Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority, the numbers are expected to surge to 10.41 million by 2020 – a growth of an estimated 10 per cent. This, coupled with the recent surge in new residential communities currently being built around Dubai presents a need to increase service station outlets to cater to the increasing demand on fuel.

The compact fuelling station is fully sustainable and has been equipped with solar pv panels and several technologies that contribute to enhancing energy efficiency, such as the Vapour Recovery System – a process that enables the recovery of 70 per cent gasoline vapour emissions. The pilot station is also designed with a fuel tank set up above the ground, which facilitates the re-assembly and moving process to a new location. The double wall design and build of the tanks is certified to the highest international UL Listed safety standards. In addition, the pilot will deploy a number of best EHS practices to enhance safety measures; such as the installation of overfill prevention valve, audible alarm, pressure vacuum vents, and emergency vents for the inner and outer wall.