Shell has chosen DCC Energy to take over its service station network in France. The news was reported on 16 October 2026 by Reuters and by Les Echos. The deal covers around 70 stations, most of them located on motorways, and the transfer of 35 employees. Completion is expected in the second quarter of 2027. This follows Shell's stated intention to sell its network, which we covered last May.
A deal agreed but not yet finalised
According to Reuters, which cites a source familiar with the matter and documents it reviewed, Shell has reached an agreement with DCC Energy, a company based in Dublin. The agreement covers the sale of its service station network and of transport fuel-related services in France. The parties have not yet finalised the transaction. It is expected to close in the second quarter of 2027, subject to consultation with employee representatives, as stated in the document seen by the agency.
Shell told Reuters that it is considering selling its service station business in France, and made no further comment at this stage. DCC Energy declined to comment. According to Les Echos, Shell told its employees in May that it intended to sell all of its service stations in France. After several months of deliberation, the group identified a buyer and informed some employees on the morning of 16 October. Also according to Les Echos, the buyer's name had not yet been made public by Shell at that point.
What the deal includes
According to Les Echos, Shell's mobility business in France comprises:
- 70 service stations, of which 51 are located on motorways;
- 8 liquefied natural gas (LNG) refuelling stations;
- 107 charging points for electric cars.
For its part, Reuters mentions around 70 sites and eight LNG facilities, as well as the transfer of 35 employees. The two sources therefore agree on the order of magnitude of the network concerned. To find stations located on this type of road, you can use our page dedicated to motorway service stations.
A Shell brand licence, without fuel supply
According to the document seen by Reuters, DCC Energy would operate these stations under a long-term licence using the Shell brand. Shell's core fuel supply activities are excluded from the transaction. In practice, the buyer would source its fuel independently, according to the same document. The sources consulted give no further details on how this supply would be arranged.
The 35 employees taken over
Les Echos reports that DCC Energy has committed to taking on the 35 employees of this business. The buyer will have to offer them similar pay conditions for at least two years. Reuters specifies that the transfer of these 35 employees is part of the scope described in the document, and that consultation with employee representatives is a condition for completing the deal.
Who is DCC Energy?
According to Reuters, which relies on the company's website, DCC Energy is a sales and distribution company present in Europe and the United States. It serves millions of customers in the industrial and public sectors and provides off-grid energy solutions, notably based on liquefied gas. It also operates service stations and offers services for vehicle fleets.
Les Echos reports that DCC Energy was acquired in July for €6.8 billion by two American investment funds, KKR and Energy Capital Partners.
Why Shell is refocusing
According to Reuters, the agreement comes as Shell intends to concentrate its fuel retail and charging activities on key markets where it generates most of its cash flow: the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. France is therefore not among these priority markets.
Reuters also notes that Shell's marketing division, which includes its service stations and charging points, posted adjusted earnings of $1.3 billion in the second quarter of this year, compared with $1.2 billion in the same period last year.
Timeline of the deal
Several steps have followed one another since the spring. In May, Shell told its employees of its intention to part with all of its service stations in France, according to Les Echos. On 16 October 2026, the buyer's identity, DCC Energy, was reported by Reuters and by Les Echos. Closing of the transaction is expected in the second quarter of 2027, after consultation with employee representatives.
What is not yet known
The financial value of the transaction could not be determined at this stage, either by Reuters or by Les Echos. The sources do not specify either which stations would be concerned individually. Shell also made no comment other than the one reported by Reuters, and DCC Energy declined to comment. To follow developments in this case and other fuel market events, see our fuel news.