COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 32411

Petroleum Refining

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

30companies1870–1998founding years28still active2no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedAtlantic Richfield CompanyFoundedAtlantic Richfield Company
1870
FoundedSunoco, Inc.
1890
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedThe Williams Companies, Inc.
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
FoundedCITGO Petroleum CorporationFoundedUltramar Diamond Shamrock Corporation
1910
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedAmerada Hess CorporationFoundedAmerada Hess Corporation
1920
FoundedAshland Inc.
1924
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
FoundedPremcor Inc.
1932
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
FoundedChinese Petroleum Corporation
1946
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
FoundedThe Coastal Corporation
1955
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
FoundedR.B. Pamplin Corp.FoundedR.B. Pamplin Corp.
1957
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
FoundedArctic Slope Regional Corporation
1972
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1980
EnvironmentSuperfund law makes polluters pay for cleanup.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedCosmo Oil Co., Ltd.
1986
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
1989
EnvironmentThe Exxon Valdez spill reshapes energy and shipping rules.
1990
EnvironmentThe Clean Air Act amendments tighten emissions limits.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
FoundedBP p.l.c.FoundedFortum Corporation
1998
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
EnvironmentThe Deepwater Horizon spill triggers sweeping energy rules.
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Atlantic Richfield Company →
Active · founded 1870
Atlantic Richfield Company, better known as ARCO, is the seventh-largest U.S.
Atlantic Richfield Company →
Active · founded 1870
Atlantic Richfield Company, better known as ARCO, is the seventh-largest U.S.
Sunoco, Inc. →
Active · founded 1890
Sunoco, Inc.
Sunoco, Inc. →
Active · founded 1890
Sunoco, Inc.
The Williams Companies, Inc. →
Active · founded 1908
The Williams Companies, Inc., is the largest interstate natural gas supplier in the United States.
The Williams Companies, Inc. →
Active · founded 1908
The Williams Companies, Inc., is the largest interstate natural gas supplier in the United States.
CITGO Petroleum Corporation →
Active · founded 1910
CITGO Petroleum Corporation, owned by PDV America, Inc., an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de…
CITGO Petroleum Corporation →
Active · founded 1910
CITGO Petroleum Corporation, owned by PDV America, Inc., an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de…
Ultramar Diamond Shamrock Corporation →
Active · founded 1910
Ultramar Diamond Shamrock Corporation (UDS), based in San Antonio, Texas, is the second largest independent oil…
Ultramar Diamond Shamrock Corporation →
Active · founded 1910
Ultramar Diamond Shamrock Corporation (UDS), based in San Antonio, Texas, is the second largest independent oil…
Amerada Hess Corporation →
Active · founded 1920
Amerada Hess Corporation operates as a leading integrated oil and gas concern involved in exploration, production,…
Amerada Hess Corporation →
Active · founded 1920
Amerada Hess Corporation operates as a leading integrated oil and gas concern involved in exploration, production,…
Ashland Inc. →
Active · founded 1924
Ashland Inc.
Ashland Inc. →
Active · founded 1924
Ashland Inc.
Premcor Inc. →
Active · founded 1932
Premcor Inc.
Premcor Inc. →
Active · founded 1932
Premcor Inc.
Chinese Petroleum Corporation →
Active · founded 1946 · Republic of China
Chinese Petroleum Corporation (CPC) is a state-owned enterprise that is responsible for the Republic of China's…
Chinese Petroleum Corporation →
Active · founded 1946 · Republic of China
Chinese Petroleum Corporation (CPC) is a state-owned enterprise that is responsible for the Republic of China's…
The Coastal Corporation →
Active · founded 1955
The Coastal Corporation, based in Houston with operations in several energy markets, is a Fortune 500 energy company…
The Coastal Corporation →
Active · founded 1955
The Coastal Corporation, based in Houston with operations in several energy markets, is a Fortune 500 energy company…
R.B. Pamplin Corp. →
Active · founded 1957
R.B.
R.B. Pamplin Corp. →
Active · founded 1957
R.B.
Arctic Slope Regional Corporation →
Active · founded 1972
Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC) was established following the passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement…
Arctic Slope Regional Corporation →
Active · founded 1972
Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC) was established following the passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement…
Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1986 · Japan
Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd.
Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1986 · Japan
Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd.
BP p.l.c. →
Defunct · founded 1998 · United Kingdom
Formed by the 1998 merger of British Petroleum Company and Amoco Corporation, BP p.l.c.
BP p.l.c. →
Defunct · founded 1998 · United Kingdom
Formed by the 1998 merger of British Petroleum Company and Amoco Corporation, BP p.l.c.
Fortum Corporation →
Active · founded 1998 · Finland
Fortum Corporation is an international energy group formed from the 1998 merger of two state-owned Finnish firms: Neste…
Fortum Corporation →
Active · founded 1998 · Finland
Fortum Corporation is an international energy group formed from the 1998 merger of two state-owned Finnish firms: Neste…
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