ConocoPhillips will sell the remainder of its gas stations in the United States, the company said yesterday, though Conoco, Phillips 66, and 76 will continue to operate under those familiar signs.

The 600 or so stations are being sold to Pacific Convenience & Fuel LLC, a subsidiary of PetroSun Fuel.

The deal is "in the ballpark" of $800 million, said Sam Hirbod, chairman and chief executive of PetroSun and Pacific Convenience.

The sale has yet to be approved by regulators.

Part of the deal includes a long-term contract in which Conoco-Phillips would provide fuel for the stations.

"If our brand is at that site, we will be supplying the gas," ConocoPhillips spokeswoman Terry Hunt said in a phone interview.

Future opportunities

The purchase will help boost Pacific Convenience's presence in major West Coast urban areas, Hirbod said.

"We see opportunity in the future," he said in a phone interview. "As the oil companies exit, we think there will be more flexibility."

Houston-based ConocoPhillips began several years ago to spin off its retail stores, focusing more on exploration and refining.

Shares of ConocoPhillips rose $1.11 to $83.49.