Exxon Mobil Corp. ’s Canadian subsidiary said Wednesday that it was considering the sale of its remaining company-owned Esso-branded retail fuel stations to independent third-party operators. Calgary-based Imperial Oil Ltd. said most of its 1,700 Esso sites in Canada already operate under that model, which sees the company supply fuel to third parties who own and/or operate the sites under the Esso banner. The move announced Wednesday covers the remaining 500 company-owned sites, and will involve a nonbinding bid process, it said. The integrated energy company also said it would look at options for the On the Run convenience-store brand in Canada. Quebec-based Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. acquired about 450 of Exxon’s On the Run convenience stores in the U.S. in 2009. “Esso has a long, successful history as a leading retailer of high-quality fuels,” said Brad Merkel, vice president of fuels and lubricants at Imperial Oil. “This evaluation will […]