MRH (GB) Ltd is believed to be in talks with Chevron to buy more than 20 of its company-owned Texaco sites in the Republic of Ireland. According to a report in The Irish Times, talks between

the two companies have been ongoing for some months. It also reported that Essex-based MRH formed two companies in Ireland in December in preparation for its entry into the Irish market:

MRH (Ireland) Petroleum Ltd and MRH (Ireland) Properties Ltd. And these are said to be registered to an address Dublin.

The Irish Times added that while it was not clear how much MRH, number one on the Forecourt Trader Top 50 Indies list 2009, would pay for the Texaco stations. But the company would be expected to spend several million euros upgrading the forecourts and possibly rebranding them.

This month, MRH MD John Lynn revealed to Forecourt Trader that one of the company’s key goals for 2010 was to break into the forecourt market in Ireland.

A Chevron spokeswoman said: "We do not comment on any of our business negotiations."

MRH was not available for comment at the time of posting this story.