The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday, Oct. 19, edition that Irving Oil announced in June that it would conduct an internal review that could result in the company putting itself up for sale. The Globe's Emma Graney, Jeffrey Jones and Nicolas Van Praet write that a non-domestic refiner or investor may have more interest in Irving than a Canadian one. The Globe says Irving is a tough fit for most domestic oil producers that also operate refineries. Meanwhile, Imperial Oil, Chevron and Cenovus Energy have sold Canadian retail networks to companies that concentrate on that segment, including Parkland and Alimentation Couche-Tard. Both have been active acquirers. Couche-Tard could be a buyer for Irving assets. Couche-Tard sees itself as an industry consolidator and has enough dry powder to do a $10-billion (U.S.) takeover without selling shares, the company's chief financial officer said last week. The United States remains a priority for Couche-Tard's mergers and acquisitions, and it would likely have more interest in Irving's U.S. operations than its Canadian ones. Couche-Tard also has an existing relationship with Irving. In 2018, the two companies struck a joint venture agreement.