Our business
Kuwait Petroleum International, known by our trademark Q8, refines and markets fuel, lubricants and other petroleum derivatives outside Kuwait. Our main activities are focused on Europe and the Far East.
Established in 1983, Kuwait Petroleum International is the international subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, which brings together all the state owned elements of the Kuwait oil sector under one corporate umbrella and is recognised as one of the world’s top ten energy conglomerates.
Our business encompasses the marketing and sales, research and refining of petroleum products.
Q8 markets fuel via over 4,000 service stations across Europe and operates a direct sales operation, providing road fuel and heating oil. Our International Diesel Service is dedicated to the needs of international road transport companies; Q8Aviation provides jet fuel at more than 60 airports internationally and Q8 Oils manufactures and markets some of the world’s finest lubricants.

Our objectives
A high level summary of the key business and strategic objectives that drive Q8’s business.

Innovation
Q8 was the first company to introduce unleaded petrol into Europe and today is at the forefront of innovations to protect the environment.

Q8 History
Kuwait Petroleum International was established in 1983, to manage the refining and marketing interests of our parent company, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, outside Kuwait.

The growth of Q8’s extensive network of service stations in Europe began with the acquisition, in 1983/4, of Gulf Oil's operations in the Benelux, Sweden, Denmark and Italy, and of BP’s operations in Denmark in 1987. Expansion continued in the early 1990s with the purchase of Mobil service stations in Italy and BP’s assets in Luxembourg.
Q8 launched operations in Spain in 1992 and our business in Italy was strengthened through a joint venture with Italian oil company AGIP at the Milazzo refinery in Sicily.

A joint venture with OKF in Sweden in 1998 created OKQ8, one of the the leading networks of service stations in Sweden, while the acquisition of the service stations of BP and Aral, made Q8 Belgium’s second largest oil company.

Q8’s business in the Netherlands was strengthened by acquiring Tango automated service stations in the Netherlands.

Over the past three decades, Q8 has expanded rapidly through a series of carefully planned acquisitions selected for their strategic fit with the business.

Today, Q8’s business is expanding into the Far East with plans for ambitious joint venture marketing and manufacturing projects, with the construction of a refinery and petrochemical complex in both China and Vietnam.

Oil in Kuwait
Located in a region that contains 75 per cent of the world's oil reserves, Kuwait has great petroleum wealth.

Careers at Q8
Q8 is a fast growing, innovative company that provides excellent opportunities for its employees.