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.

Q8 has set the following strategic objectives:

To achieve competitive edge by fully exploiting our strengths, in particular the backing of our parent company, which provides us with financial strength and access to a stable, long-term source of hydrocarbons.

To reward our shareholders at a level comparable to that of our competitors.

To develop and strengthen our existing businesses in markets where we can maintain a strong competitive position.

To grow significantly by expanding our marketing and refining activities into new markets.

To achieve and sustain a level of performance that is consistently superior to that of our competitors.

To develop a high quality integrated marketing and refining business, with a link to petrochemicals wherever possible.

The distinctive Q8 brand, symbolised by the sails of a traditional Kuwaiti dhow, is perceived as original, modern and innovative. These values are reflected in Q8's business.

Q8 was ahead of the times in demonstrating care for the environment as the first company to introduce unleaded fuel into Europe as early as 1985.

Since those days, a host of imaginative environmental initiatives have followed. In Denmark, Q8 was the first company to introduce screen wash pumps at service stations and to offer a windscreen wash that avoids using plastic bottles.

Rainwater recycling and solar photovoltaic power are amongst the initiatives Q8 is using in Italy to minimise the impact of service stations on the environment.

Taking environmental concern a step further, in Italy and Denmark, Q8 is trialling environmentally friendly zero carbon service stations, with a view to extending the concept across the network.

Q8 has also pioneered retailing at service stations and in Belgium is the leader in convenience stores on forecourts through a partnership with Delhaize, the country's top food retailer. In Denmark, reflecting many people's wish to eat healthily, organic food and coffee have been introduced into forecourt shops.

Another pioneering move by Q8 was the introduction of a secure fully automated fuel card service for international hauliers over 20 years ago. Today, International Diesel Service continues to lead the field.

Q8 produces many of the world's leading lubricants. For example, Q8 Bach rolling oils are recognised as outstanding lubricating oils in the production of stainless steel and copper alloy sheets, and are used by leading companies worldwide.

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.

Located in the Middle East region that contains 75 per cent of the world's oil reserves, Kuwait has great petroleum resources. Today it is one of the long-term major oil producers with the fourth largest oil reserves in the world.

The origins of Kuwait's oil industry date back to the 1920s. In 1921, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah became Ruler of the State of Kuwait. He was well aware of the activities of oil prospectors in neighbouring Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, as well as the Anglo-Persian Oil Company's success in southern Iran. Kuwait's main industry, pearl diving, was under threat from the cultured pearl industry and it was hoped that the strange black patches of a rough bituminous substance found in the desert indicated underground reservoirs of oil that would revitalise Kuwait's industry. Expectations were further raised by the discovery of oil in Bahrain in 1932.

In December 1934, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah formally granted the first Kuwait oil concession to Kuwait Oil Company Limited, which was formed by the Gulf Oil Corporation (now Chevron) and the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (now BP).

Technical reports highlighted the potential of Burgan, located in the desert in south eastern Kuwait, and on 22nd February 1938, oil was discovered. In 1946, Kuwait exported its first cargo of crude oil.

In the early 1970s, in line with the other Arab oil producing states, Kuwait began negotiations to regain control over its own natural oil resources. The State's shareholding in Kuwait Oil Company was progressively increased until full control was achieved in March 1975 and in December 1975, Kuwait's oil industry was nationalised.

Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) was established in 1980 to bring together the four state-owned companies responsible for Kuwait's oil production, processing and transportation under one corporate umbrella. Today, KPC oversees a fully integrated industry with operations spanning six continents. The Burgan well is still in production and remains one of the world's largest and richest oil fields.