Commission européenne, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Bruxelles, BELGIQUE  
Europese Commissie, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Brussel,   BELGIË  
 
Tel: +32 229 -91111. Fax: +32 229 -64301. E -mail: COMP -MERGER -REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu . 
  EUROPEAN COMMISSION  
Brussels, 7.5.2019  
C(2019 ) 3626 final  
PUBLIC VERSION  
To the notifying parties  
Subject : Case M.9326  – Saudi  Aramco  / Total Marketing  / Sahel 
Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) 
No 139/20041 and Article 57 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area2  
Dear Sir or Madam,  
1. On 5 April 2019 , the European Commission received notification of a proposed 
concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger  Regulation by which Saudi Aramco 
Retail Company (‘SARC’, Saudi Arabia) and Total Marketing Services S.A. (‘Total MS’, 
France) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint 
control of the whole of Sahl Transportation Company (‘STC’, Saudi Arabia)  and Tasheelat 
Marketing Company (‘TMC’, Saudi Arabia) (TMC and STC together are referred to as 
‘Sahel’) .3 
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.  
2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:  
- for SARC: a wholly owned s ubsidiary of Saudi Arabian Oil Company (‘Saudi 
Aramco’, Saudi Arabia) which is responsible for owning and managing Saudi 
Aramco’s fuel retailing business in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Aramco is engaged in the 
production and marketing of refined products . 
- for Total MS: a wholly owned subsidiary of Total S.A. (‘Total’). Total MS is active in 
the distribution of refined petroleum products, including fuels. Total is an international 
integrated energy producer . 
  
                                                 
1 OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 ( the 'Merger Regulation '). With effect from 1 December 2009,  the Treaty on the 
Functioning of the European Union ( 'TFEU ') has introduc ed certain changes, such as the replacement of 
'Community ' by 'Union ' and 'common market ' by 'internal market '. The terminology of the TFEU will be used 
throughout this decision.  
2  OJ L 1, 3.1.1994, p.  3 (the 'EEA Agreement '). 
3  Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C 136, 12.04.2019 , p. 29. 

2 - for Sahel: TMC operates a retail service station  network across Saudi Arabia under the 
Sahel brand. It also provides, through two subsidiaries, a variety of goods and services, 
such as snacks and beverages, confectionary, fast food and car accessories. STC 
provides fuel transportation services to Sahel service stations . 
3. After examination of the notification, the European Commission has concluded that the 
notified operation falls within the scope of the Merger  Regulation  and of paragraph 5 (a) of 
the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatmen t of certain concentrations 
under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 .4 
4. For the reasons set out in the Notice on a simplified procedure, the European Commission 
has decided not to oppose the notified operation and to declare it compatible with the 
internal market and with the EEA Agreement. This decision is adopted in application of 
Article 6(1)(b) of the Merger  Regulation  and Article 57 of the EEA Agreement . 
For the Commission  
 
 
(Signed)  
Johannes LAITENBERGER  
Director -General  
                                                 
4  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5 .