Given the new regulations for self-consumption fuel establishments, some of the challenges include infrastructure, transportation safety , and compliance with the provisions for carrying out adequate energy logistics.
In an interview with T21, Reynaldo Tovar Arroyo, general director of MAOSA Combustibles , a company dedicated to the marketing and supply of fuels and products of Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) , explained that hydrocarbon logistics should be understood as a chain that begins from the origin of the molecule and continues with its transport , storage and delivery to the end user.
In that sense, he considered that the new regulation on self-consumption seeks to “label” the origin of each fuel molecule, from the refinery, the ship or the train that brings it to the country, in a similar way to a blockchain-type traceability system , so the change, which derives from the modifications to the Hydrocarbons Law of March 2025 and the corresponding regulation, published on October 3 of that year in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) , not only represents an obligation for the market participants, but an opportunity to professionalize this activity.
This approach aligns with the new tools being implemented by the National Energy Commission (CNE) . Since January 2026, units transporting and distributing hydrocarbons via means other than pipelines have been required to be marked with a QR code , while the Registration, Administration, and Control System for Permit Holders (SIRACP) allows for enhanced monitoring of operations using GPS.
Tovar explained that the so-called self-consumption centers — facilities where transport or industrial companies have their own dispenser and fuel tank for internal use without being a public gas station — operated for years under poorly defined criteria regarding permits, safety and environmental standards.
In response, the new regulatory framework has already begun to be implemented. On August 11, the National Energy Commission (CNE) published the registration program for self-consumption fuel dispensing facilities. The measure aims, among other objectives, to strengthen the traceability of operations .
It is important to remember that the registration period closes on December 31, 2026. From that date onwards, only those with a certificate will be able to continue supplying for self-consumption, and distributors and retailers will be prohibited from selling to anyone who is not registered.
In anticipation of this regulatory transition, the company notified its customers in advance about the need to regularize their facilities and, in some cases, those who did not have the required conditions opted temporarily to refuel at gas stations while they resolved their situation.
In that context, for the investment in self-consumption infrastructure to be justified, the executive specified that the user must handle volumes of between 80,000 and 90,000 liters; below that threshold, he said, it is usually more efficient to buy at a service station.
Mexico needs storage capacity and a network that can maintain supply in the face of situations that could disrupt supply chains . In this regard, the Energy Ministry ‘s minimum petroleum product storage policy has sought to strengthen security of supply through strategic inventories.
Logistics, affected by insecurity
Tovar Arroyo acknowledged that in recent years the company, which originated in Morelia, Michoacán, has faced a more hazardous environment during fuel transport, with incidents involving the theft of tanker trucks, fuel, and drivers. He mentioned several affected areas, including corridors in Michoacán, Tierra Caliente, Manzanillo-Michoacán, Salamanca-Celaya, and sections between Mexico City, Puebla, and Veracruz.
According to Overhaul , in the second quarter of 2026, 76% of cargo thefts involved some type of violence, which, in addition to representing a financial problem, is a direct risk for operators and logistics chains .
During the period, 86.3% of the events registered at the national level occurred in only 10 entities: State of Mexico, Puebla, Guanajuato, Veracruz, San Luis Potosí, Jalisco, Michoacán, Hidalgo, Querétaro and Tlaxcala.
Despite this context, the executive anticipated greater integration of technology into hydrocarbon logistics over the next five years . Among the tools he identified are fleet management platforms, real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, data intelligence, and fuel control systems—elements that could contribute to improved productivity and reduced operating costs.
This evolution is also related to the growth in logistics demand associated with nearshoring (relocation of production lines), which can generate additional needs for specialized transport, infrastructure and energy services, where companies with the ability to combine technology, efficiency, sustainability and regulatory compliance will have better conditions to compete.
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