Parkland To Acquire Sevier Valley Oil
Plains Pipeline Pays $60 Million to Settle Pipeline Spill
Mister Car Wash Acquires Washington Bush Car Wash Sites
Allterra Environmental Pays $100,000 in UST Fund Dispute
Chevron Offers Incentives to Install Mobile App Tech

PARKLAND TO ACQUIRE SEVIER VALLEY OIL

RICHFIELD, UT. — Parkland USA has signed a deal to acquire Sevier Valley Oil Company, based in Richfield, UT. The purchase price was not disclosed.

Included in the deal are all of Sevier Valley Oil Company's assets, including its related companies, Sevier Valley Transportation, St. George Fuels, and Sevier Valley Propane, seven company retail locations including two Sinclair-branded cardlocks, and over 20 retail dealers.

Garret Ekker, who had been serving as president at Sevier Valley Oil Company, will join the Parkland team led by John Jardine in Parkland's Rockies Regional Operating Center following the acquisition.

In business since 1949, Sevier maintained four offices and distribution facilities in Richfield and St. George, UT., to distribute retail and commercial fuels, bulk oil and lubricants, DEF, and racing fuel in Utah, Colorado, and northern Arizona.

"We've worked hard over the years to safely deliver fuel and lubricant products and are proud to have grown a strong Utah business, especially over the past 20 years," Ekker said. "Parkland appealed to us as it can continue to help us scale and better serve our commercial customers in a manner that aligns with our company values."

"We continue to expand our U.S. footprint and execute on our growth strategy," said Doug Haugh, president of Parkland USA, Charleston, SC., announcing the deal. "This acquisition meaningfully expands our retail presence in rapidly growing Southern Utah and presents a fantastic opportunity to leverage our North American On the Run convenience store brand, enhance our customer proposition, and drive incremental value."

Haugh continued, "The acquisition strongly complements our existing Rockies Regional Operating Center and positions us for further organic and acquisition growth in neighboring Nevada and Arizona."

He added, "We are delighted to welcome Garrett Ekker and the SVO team to Parkland and look forward to the continued growth of our USA business."

This acquisition is expected to close by the end of the year.

PLAINS PIPELINE PAYS $60 MILLION TO SETTLE PIPELINE SPILL

SACRAMENTO, CA. — A settlement of over $60 million has been reached between Plains Pipeline, L.P., and California state and Federal agencies after a pipe failure discharged crude oil near Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara County.

On May 19, 2015 a pipeline owned and operated by Plains Pipeline failed and discharged approximately 2,934 barrels of heavy crude-oil near Refugio State Beach, north of Goleta, CA. The oil spill traveled to the Pacific Ocean, causing beach and fishing closures in the area "and adverse impacts" to "birds, fish, marine mammals, and shoreline and sub-tidal habitat."

As part of the over $60 million settlement, the Plans Pipeline will pay $24 million in penalties. Plains will also pay approximately $22.3 million in damages to "natural resources" that will be used to fund projects to restore wildlife, and habitat injured, lost, or destroyed as a result of the oil spill and to compensate the public for the impacts to recreation.

Another $10 million will go to reimburse the costs the agencies incurred while assessing the damages caused by the spill. $4.26 million will be used to reimburse U.S. Coast Guard clean-up costs.

The settlement also requires improvements to Plains Pipeline's nationwide pipeline system to bring it into compliance with federal and state pipeline safety laws.

The settlement was reached and a consent decree was entered as a final judgment in federal district court on October 14, 2020.

Plains Pipeline, L.P. is a subsidiary of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.

MISTER CAR WASH ACQUIRES WASHINGTON BUSH CAR WASH SITES

TUCSON, AZ. — Mister Car Wash has "doubled its footprint in the state of Washington" with the acquisition of seven locations of Bush Car Wash. The acquisition was completed in mid-September and the purchase price was not disclosed.

Owner Tim Bush explained, "When my late brother Ned Gosnell came up with the idea to start Bush Car Wash in 2007, his vision was to provide a premium service for folks across the Tri-Cities and surrounding areas. Working together with my sons, co-owners in the business, TJ and Blake, we have worked diligently to honor Ned's family and legacy, and we know that entrusting Bush Car Wash to Mister Car Wash will continue his vision."

Included in the deal were Bush Car Wash locations at 1131 Aaron Drive in Richland, WA.; 3220 Kennedy Drive in West Richland, WA.; at 7200 Burden Blvd., and at 3810 W. Court Street in Pasco, WA.; at 520 W. Columbia Drive and 5231 W. Okanogan Place in Kennewick, WA.; and 1110 Dalles Military Rd., Walla Walla, WA.

"Bush Car Wash is a family-run business with deep roots in the community and years of experience providing excellent service," said Casey Lindsay, vice president of corporate development for Mister Car Wash, Tuscon, AZ. "Our motto of Inspiring People to Shine aligns nicely with the Bush's family-oriented approach."

The locations will be converted to the Mister Car Wash brand.

Mister Car Wash now operates 13 locations in Washington. The company currently operates 336 car washes and 31 express lubes in 21 states.

ALLTERRA ENVIRONMENTAL PAYS $100,000 IN UST FUND DISPUTE

SACRAMENTO, CA. — Allterra Environmental, based in Santa Cruz, CA., has agreed to pay over $100,000 in penalties as part of a settlement agreement over fraud charges from the California Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Fund.

The California State Water Resources Control Board alleged that Allterra Environmental's geologist made misrepresentations with reimbursement requests that included excessive project management hours as well as mileage reimbursement costs for employees who never requested reimbursement nor received the reimbursement funds that were paid to Allterra.

As part of the settlement, Allterra agreed to pay a $106,533 penalty, and the company and its chief executive officer, James Allen, will be banned from participating in any State Water Board reimbursement program, including the Cleanup Fund.

Allterra is currently doing business as Allterra Solar.

CHEVRON OFFERS INCENTIVES TO INSTALL MOBILE APP TECH

SAN RAMON, CA. — Chevron launched a program in mid-November to offer its marketers and retailers a cash incentive for installing mobile-app technology at the pump.

According to the major oil company, marketers and retailers with Chevron and Texaco branded stations that implement the mobile app technology upgrades by March 31, 2021 will be eligible. The tiered-volume incentives will range from $2,000 to $10,000 per station, based on each station's annual gasoline and diesel volumes.

Chevron officials say they decided to offer the incentives because "Improving on the consumer experience through standardization helps to strengthen brand value."

No separate agreement will be required. Chevron will automatically process the payments after the marketers and retailers implement the technology.

"Chevron is dedicated to taking care of people on the go and proactively addressing their needs in the retail of the future," said Harry Hazen, senior manager, Americas Marketing, announcing the program.

Originally published in the December 2020 issue of O&A Marketing News.
Copyright 2020 by KAL Publications Inc.