Spain’s National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) has launched formal disciplinary proceedings against Exolum Corporation for alleged anticompetitive behavior in the primary logistics market for liquid hydrocarbons, biofuels, and liquid chemical products. The investigation focuses on three potential abuses of dominant position, which could constitute serious infractions under Spanish Competition Law.

The investigation follows multiple regulatory reports from the CNMC’s Regulatory Supervision Board and an access dispute filed directly with the antitrust body. As part of its preliminary inquiry, competition officials executed unannounced inspections at Exolum’s corporate headquarters to gather evidence.

According to the regulator, Exolum leveraged its position as Spain’s primary liquid hydrocarbon logistics operator to maintain inflated profit margins by systematically hiking wholesale tariffs. Simultaneously, the company allegedly refused access to its vital transport and storage facilities in the Port of Tarragona to a competing operator, effectively reinforcing its market dominance in an economically critical coastal area.

These actions may have caused downstream harm across the energy sector. End consumers faced escalating fuel prices, while competing distributors saw their statutory rights to access Spain’s sole liquid hydrocarbon pipeline transport network restricted, impairing their ability to compete in downstream retail markets.

The initiation of disciplinary proceedings opens a statutory maximum period of 24 months for the CNMC to complete its investigation and issue a final ruling. Antitrust officials clarified that opening the file does not prejudge the ultimate outcome of the inquiry.