Kuwait Petroleum International

Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI) was established on 3 February 1983 as a subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC). Its formation followed KPC's acquisition of Gulf Oil's refining and marketing operations in the Benelux countries in February 1983, followed by those in Sweden and Denmark in March. The company expanded into Italy in 1984 through the acquisition of Gulf Oil's Italian retail network.

In 1986, KPI introduced the Q8 brand and established its headquarters in London. During the same period, the company entered the British retail fuel market through the acquisition of Hays Petroleum Services, followed by the Ultramar and Nafta networks. In 1987, KPI expanded its Danish operations by acquiring the retail marketing assets of BP.

In 1990, KPI acquired the refining and fuel distribution operations of Mobil Oil Italiana from Mobil, expanding its presence in the Italian market. In 1996, Kuwait Petroleum Italia acquired a 50% stake in the Milazzo refinery in Sicily, establishing a refining joint venture with Agip, which was subsequently incorporated into Eni.

KPI continued its European expansion in the late 1990s. In 1998, it reached an agreement to establish a joint venture in Sweden with the OK cooperative, which began operations under the OKQ8 brand on 1 January 1999. In Belgium, KPI acquired 157 BP service stations in October 1998, followed by the acquisition of Aral's Belgian operations, comprising approximately 200 service stations, in July 1999.

In March 2004, KPI acquired the Tango network of automated filling stations from the Dutch company Petroplus. At the time of the acquisition, the network comprised 62 operating stations in the Netherlands and four in Belgium, with an additional site under development in Spain. Later that year, KPI sold its British retail and fuel distribution operations to Refined Holdings, a consortium including Malthurst. The acquired business subsequently operated under the Pace Petroleum name, while KPI retained other activities in the United Kingdom.

In 2005, KPI sold its retail network of 117 filling stations and its lubricants business in Thailand to the Malaysian state-owned petroleum company Petronas. The following year, KPI sold its German retail subsidiary, Kuwait Petroleum Deutschland, which operated 37 service stations under the Markant brand, to Westfalen AG.

In April 2017, KPI entered into a partnership with Oman Oil Company, subsequently renamed OQ, to jointly develop the Duqm Refinery and Petrochemical Complex in Duqm, Oman. The agreement established KPI as an equal partner in the refinery project.

Branding

The Q8 brand and logo were introduced in 1986. Designed by Wolff Olins, the logo features two stylised sails inspired by the dhow, a traditional Arabian sailing vessel. Its yellow, red and blue colours symbolise the desert, sun and sea, respectively.

Operations

Retail fuel distribution

KPI operates a network of more than 3,500 branded filling stations across Europe. It operates under the Q8 and Q8 easy brands in Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain and Portugal, Tango in the Netherlands, and Q8 and F24 in Denmark. In Sweden, it operates under the OKQ8 brand through a joint venture with OK Economic Association.

In Vietnam, KPI operates five filling stations under the Idemitsu Q8 brand through a joint venture with Japan's Idemitsu Kosan.

Commercial transport services

KPI provides fuel card and refuelling services to international road transport companies through Q8Truck, formerly known as International Diesel Service (IDS).