Foster Blue Water Oil

What Foster Blue Water Oil does

Foster Blue Water Oil, LLC is a Michigan-based, family-owned petroleum products and services company formed in January 2003 through the merger of Foster Oil Company and Blue Water Oil Company, combining more than 80 years of petroleum industry experience. The company operates as a multi-divisional energy distributor serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers exclusively in the Michigan market, with a physical footprint of 15 office and bulk-plant locations, 13 dedicated Pacific Pride commercial fueling sites, and 40+ Sunrise Convenience Stores branded as Marathon and BP. Its core product lines span wholesale and retail gasoline (including ethanol-free recreational and VP Racing Fuels), #1/#2 ULSD dyed and clear diesel with biodiesel blends, kerosene, propane (via affiliate Blue Flame Propane), and a broad lubricant portfolio (Phillips 66, Kendall, VP Lubricants, Quaker Houghton, Chevron, and others) covering automotive, heavy-duty, industrial, and metalworking applications.

The business is structured around several operating divisions — VP Racing Fuels (Master Distributor for Michigan), Commercial Fueling, Home Heating, Pacific Pride Fleet Fueling, Lubricant Division, and Blue Water Oil Transport — supported by a fleet of transport trucks and tank wagons with per-load capacity of 13,400 gallons of fuel or 17,000 gallons of propane. Technology is limited to third-party fuel-management platforms: Pacific Pride provides configurable PIN security, fuel-grade restrictions, volume/time-of-day controls, and transaction reporting for fleet customers, while FuelCloud adds online account management and fuel monitoring. Blue Water Fuel Management markets this stack to commercial fleets with claimed savings of up to $0.30 per gallon through reduced slippage and improved driver productivity.

The revenue model is primarily transactional (gallons and units sold across fuel, propane, and lubricants), with a managed-services layer in fleet fuel management, an equipment sale/lease line for tanks and pumps, a contract-haul business for other fuel suppliers, and subscription-style budget payment plans that spread residential heating costs into level monthly payments. Customer segments are diversified across residential heating (subscription), commercial/industrial fleets, agriculture, government/state agencies, marinas, independent station owners, and retail consumers via the Sunrise Convenience Stores. Distribution is entirely regional (Michigan and adjacent Ontario, Canada), and the company maintains no disclosed external investors, no public listing, and a closely held family ownership structure.

Name

Foster Blue Water Oil

Legal name

Foster Blue Water Oil, LLC

Website

https://fosteroil.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Foster Blue Water Oil is a Michigan-based, family-owned petroleum distributor formed in 2003 via merger, serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers across 15 office/bulk-plant locations, 13 Pacific Pride commercial fueling sites, and 40+ Marathon/BP convenience stores with fuels, propane, lubricants, and fleet management.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fuel Distribution and Energy Supply

NAICS

Fuel Dealers (457210)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Fueling & Engine Fluids Retail (Oil, Additives, Lubricants) (CRAMAIAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conventional Marine Fuel Bunkering (HFO/VLSFO/MGO/ULSFO) (TLAHAKAA), Fuel Blending & Additives Services (Blend Optimization, Compatibility) (TLAHAKAI), Marine Bunkering & Port Fuel Supply (EUALAIAG)

Keywords

• Fuel distribution services
• Commercial fleet fueling
• Residential home heating
• Petroleum product sales
• Propane and lubricants

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Fuel Sales: Sale of gasoline (various octane levels including ethanol-free recreational fuels), diesel fuels (dyed and clear, including biodiesel blends), and kerosene to residential, commercial, and industrial customers. Products delivered via company fleet directly to customer tanks or at company bulk plants.
2. Propane Sales: Residential and commercial wholesale propane distribution through Blue Flame Propane Inc. affiliate, delivered via company tank wagon and transport fleet.
3. Fleet Fuel Management Services: Blue Water Fuel Management provides outsourced fleet fueling management through Pacific Pride locations, charging for fuel consumed plus management fees. Claims savings of up to $0.30 per gallon for customers.
4. Lubricant Sales: Sale of automotive, commercial, and industrial lubricants including engine oils, hydraulic oils, gear oils, greases, antifreeze, coolants, diesel exhaust fluid, and metalworking fluids from multiple suppliers including Phillips 66, Kendall, Quaker Houghton, VP Lubricants, and Chevron.
5. Equipment Sales and Leasing: Sale and leasing of fuel tanks, pumps, hoses, nozzles, gauges, and accessories. Complete fuel tank leasing programs and wet-hose fueling services for direct equipment refueling.
6. Commercial Delivery Services: Scheduled automatic deliveries for commercial customers and 24-hour emergency service delivery. Bulk fuel deliveries with 150 gallon minimum.
7. Residential Budget Programs: Budget payment plans that spread heating bills into level monthly payments based on past usage and historical weather data. Courtesy Fill and Will Call delivery services for residential customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Foster Blue Water Oil distributes gasoline, diesel, propane, kerosene, and lubricants to residential, commercial, and industrial customers throughout Michigan. The company delivers fuel directly via its own transport fleet, operates Pacific Pride commercial fueling sites, supplies independent gas stations and marinas, and provides residential home heating services through automatic delivery and budget payment plans.

Product overview

Foster Blue Water Oil is a Michigan-based family-owned petroleum products and services company formed in January 2003 through a merger of Foster Oil Company and Blue Water Oil Company. The company operates as a single unified offering with multiple divisions serving residential, commercial, and industrial energy needs. The core portfolio includes: VP Racing Fuels (Master Distributor for Michigan), Commercial Fueling, Home Heating, Pacific Pride Fleet Fueling (with 13 locations), Lubricant Division, and Blue Water Oil Transport. These divisions work together through 15 offices with bulk plants and warehouses throughout Michigan, providing fuels, lubricants, propane, natural gas, and fuel management services. Affiliates include Blue Flame Propane Inc., Sunrise Convenience Stores (40+ Marathon/BP branded locations), My Choice Energy (fixed price natural gas), and Blue Water Fuel Management. The company carries multiple lubricant brands including Phillips 66, Kendall, VP Lubricants, Quaker Houghton, Chevron, Shell, Mobil, Power Service Products, Kost USA, and Valvtect.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Blue Water Oil Transport (FLT): Fuel transportation division offering transport trucks and tank wagons for fuel (gas and distillates), propane, and lubes delivery throughout Michigan.
• Blue Water Fuel Management
• Blue Flame Propane Inc.
• Sunrise Convenience Stores
• My Choice Energy
• Pacific Pride

Products and services

• Commercial Fueling Wholesale fuel delivery services for commercial customers across agriculture, construction, transportation/fleets, aviation, mining, power generation, and railroad sectors. Offers gasoline, diesel fuels, propane, and lubricants delivered directly to customer locations with scheduled automatic deliveries and 24-hour emergency service.
• Home Heating Residential heating fuel delivery including #1 and #2 ULSD dyed diesel and kerosene, with automatic courtesy fill programs and budget payment plans that spread heating bills into level monthly payments based on past usage and historical weather data.
• Pacific Pride Fleet Fueling Commercial fleet fuel management system with controlled fueling locations, configurable purchase controls (PIN security, fuel grade restrictions, volume restrictions, time/day controls), transaction reporting, and customized fuel cost analysis. Claims savings up to $0.30 per gallon for fleet operators through reduced slippage and increased employee productivity.
• VP Racing Fuels Distribution Distribution of high-performance VP Racing Fuels including racing gasoline, methanol, small engine fuels, and hobby fuels for motorsports applications. Includes a dedicated VP Racing products shop, technical expertise, and customer support.
• Lubricant Division Complete lubricant products for automotive, trucking, agriculture, aviation, construction, industrial, mining, power generation, railroad, and small engine applications. Includes engine oils, hydraulic oils, gear oils, greases, antifreeze, coolants, diesel exhaust fluid, metalworking fluids, and fuel additives.
• Blue Water Oil Transport (FLT) Fuel and propane transport services using a fleet of transport trucks and tank wagons with capacity up to 13,400 gallons of fuel and 17,000 gallons of propane per load. Also provides contract-haul fuel transport services for other fuel suppliers. Drivers hold all necessary certifications including Hazmat endorsements, U.S. DOT, MPSC, IFTA, and Ontario transport authorizations.
• Blue Flame Propane Residential and commercial wholesale propane distribution and delivery services.
• Sunrise Convenience Stores Chain of 40+ convenience stores branded as Marathon or BP throughout Michigan, providing retail fuel sales and convenience store products.
• My Choice Energy Fixed price natural gas programs for consumers, complementing the company's petroleum and propane offerings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fleet fuel cost savings of up to $0.30 per gallon through Blue Water Fuel Management system
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• VP Racing FuelscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Foster Blue Water Oil is the Master Distributor for VP Racing Fuels in Michigan. They offer the complete VP Racing Fuels product line including racing gasoline, methanol, small engine fuels, and hobby fuels. The company operates a shop for VP Racing products and provides technical expertise and customer support for racing fuel customers.
• Phillips 66 LubricantsminorOthersSupplier of automotive and industrial lubricants to Foster Blue Water Oil for distribution to customers throughout Michigan.
• Kendall LubricantsminorOthersSupplier of passenger car motor oils and automotive lubricants to Foster Blue Water Oil.
• Quaker HoughtonminorOthersSupplier of industrial lubricants and metalworking fluids to Foster Blue Water Oil for Michigan distribution.
• Power Service ProductsminorOthersSupplier of diesel additives including Xtreme Diesel, 911, Diesel Fuel Supplement, Diesel Kleen, and Clear Diesel products.
• Valvtect ProductsminorOthersSupplier of diesel and gasoline additives including Marine Diesel Additive, Diesel Guard Supreme, Diesel Guard Antigel/Deicer, Marine Gasoline Additive, Octane Boost, and Ethanol Gasoline Additive.
• Pacific PridecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Water Fuel Management operates 13 Pacific Pride commercial fueling locations in Michigan under franchise agreement. Pacific Pride provides the fueling technology platform including configurable controls, transaction reporting, and fleet management tools that enable Blue Water Fuel Management to offer their fuel management services to commercial fleet customers.
• Blue Flame Propane Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate company providing residential and commercial wholesale propane services. Part of the Foster Blue Water Oil family of companies offering comprehensive energy solutions.
• Sunrise Convenience StorescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate company operating 40+ convenience stores branded as Marathon or BP throughout Michigan. Part of the Foster Blue Water Oil network.
• Blue Water Oil Transport LLC (FLT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate transportation company owning and operating one of the largest fleets of transport trucks and tank wagons in Michigan. Transports fuel, gasoline, diesel, lubricants, and propane throughout Michigan and into Ontario, Canada.
• My Choice EnergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate company providing fixed price programs for natural gas to consumers, complementing Foster Blue Water Oil's product offerings.
• Kiros Energy MarketingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate energy marketing company, part of the Foster Blue Water Oil and affiliates network.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Marathon Petroleum: Integrated U.S. refining and marketing major whose Marathon retail brand is supplied through Foster's Sunrise Convenience Stores; comparable downstream fuels marketing and retail activities, though vastly larger and vertically integrated into refining.
• World Fuel Services: Global fuel distribution, marketing, and energy services platform serving aviation, marine, and land transportation customers; comparable in fuel logistics and multi-product energy services though broader in geography and customer segments.
• Speedway / 7-Eleven: Large convenience-store and fuel-retail chain with comparable small-format retail fuel operations; relevant benchmark for Foster's Sunrise Convenience Stores business model though with national scale and corporate ownership.
• Sunoco LP: Large publicly-traded fuel distribution and retail platform with wholesale fuel, propane, and convenience operations across many U.S. regions; comparable business model but materially larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• BP plc (BP America): Integrated oil major whose BP retail brand is operated through Foster's Sunrise network; a broad incumbent in downstream fuels marketing, retail, and fleet services with global scale and capital advantages.

Direct peers

• Guttman Oil Company: Regional fuel distributor serving the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest with wholesale fuel, lubricants, and convenience retail — comparable in scale, multi-state distribution model, and customer mix (residential, commercial, fleet).
• Pacific Pride: The franchisor behind Blue Water Fuel Management's 13 commercial fueling locations; provides the underlying technology platform, controls, and reporting that enable Foster's fleet fuel management offering — a direct platform/operating peer.
• RKA Petroleum Companies: Michigan-headquartered regional fuel, propane, and lubricant distributor with a similar multi-product offering (gasoline, diesel, propane, lubricants) and branded retail operations; most directly comparable to Foster in geography and product mix.

Regional players

• Cox Petroleum: Family-owned regional fuel and lubricant distributor operating in neighboring Midwest markets with comparable product breadth and customer mix (commercial fueling, lubricants, propane) to Foster Blue Water Oil.

Emerging players

• VP Racing Fuels: Brand owner of the racing and small-engine fuels product line for which Foster holds the Michigan Master Distributor rights; a niche leader in motorsports/specialty fuels with comparable specialty-fuel positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pg/FosterBlueWaterOil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fosteroil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Foster Blue Water Oil