COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 486210

Pipeline Transportation, Natural Gas

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

28companies1885–2001founding years26still active2no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedTokyo Gas Co., Ltd.FoundedTokyo Gas Co., Ltd.
1885
FoundedEquitable Resources, Inc.
1888
FoundedOsaka Gas Company, Ltd.
1897
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedChevronTexaco CorporationFoundedChevronTexaco Corporation
1906
FoundedCanadian Utilities Limited
1911
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedPNM Resources Inc.
1917
FoundedAmeren Corporation
1922
FoundedRuhrgas AGFoundedRuhrgas AG
1926
FoundedEl Paso Corporation
1928
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
FoundedWestern Gas Resources, Inc.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedMOL RtFoundedMOL RtFoundedWestar Energy, Inc.
1992
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
FoundedTransMontaigne Inc.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
FoundedConocoPhillips
2001
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
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

Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1885 · Japan
With nearly nine million customers, Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.
Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1885 · Japan
With nearly nine million customers, Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.
Equitable Resources, Inc. →
Active · founded 1888
Equitable Resources, Inc.
Equitable Resources, Inc. →
Active · founded 1888
Equitable Resources, Inc.
Osaka Gas Company, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1897 · Japan
Osaka Gas Company, Ltd.
Osaka Gas Company, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1897 · Japan
Osaka Gas Company, Ltd.
ChevronTexaco Corporation →
Active · founded 1906
1970s:Company is rocked by the OPEC oil embargo and the nationalization of a number of Caltex holdings.
ChevronTexaco Corporation →
Active · founded 1906
1970s:Company is rocked by the OPEC oil embargo and the nationalization of a number of Caltex holdings.
Canadian Utilities Limited →
Active · founded 1911 · Canada
Company Origins: 1900-25 The earliest enterprise of Canadian Utilities Limited was Canadian Western Natural Gas…
Canadian Utilities Limited →
Active · founded 1911 · Canada
Company Origins: 1900-25 The earliest enterprise of Canadian Utilities Limited was Canadian Western Natural Gas…
PNM Resources Inc. →
Active · founded 1917
PNM Resources Inc.
PNM Resources Inc. →
Active · founded 1917
PNM Resources Inc.
Ameren Corporation →
Active · founded 1922
Ameren Corporation provides a variety of energy services to over 2.2 million customers in Missouri and Illinois with a…
Ameren Corporation →
Active · founded 1922
Ameren Corporation provides a variety of energy services to over 2.2 million customers in Missouri and Illinois with a…
Ruhrgas AG →
Defunct · founded 1926 · Germany
Ruhrgas AG is Germany's largest natural gas distribution company.
Ruhrgas AG →
Defunct · founded 1926 · Germany
Ruhrgas AG is Germany's largest natural gas distribution company.
El Paso Corporation →
Active · founded 1928
With over 55,000 miles of pipeline in its arsenal, El Paso Corporation--formerly known as El Paso Energy and the El…
El Paso Corporation →
Active · founded 1928
With over 55,000 miles of pipeline in its arsenal, El Paso Corporation--formerly known as El Paso Energy and the El…
Western Gas Resources, Inc. →
Active · founded 1989
Western Gas Resources, Inc.
Western Gas Resources, Inc. →
Active · founded 1989
Western Gas Resources, Inc.
MOL Rt →
Active · founded 1992 · Hungary
Hungary's largest company, MOL Rt (formerly MOL Magyar Olaj- es Gazipari Rt) is also the leading integrated oil company…
MOL Rt →
Active · founded 1992 · Hungary
Hungary's largest company, MOL Rt (formerly MOL Magyar Olaj- es Gazipari Rt) is also the leading integrated oil company…
Westar Energy, Inc. →
Active · founded 1992 · Topeka, Kansas 66601-0889
1930s:KPL acquires the United Power and Light Corporation.
Westar Energy, Inc. →
Active · founded 1992 · Topeka, Kansas 66601-0889
1930s:KPL acquires the United Power and Light Corporation.
TransMontaigne Inc. →
Active · founded 1995
Denver-based TransMontaigne Inc.
TransMontaigne Inc. →
Active · founded 1995
Denver-based TransMontaigne Inc.
ConocoPhillips →
Active · founded 2001
ConocoPhillips is the third largest U.S.
ConocoPhillips →
Active · founded 2001
ConocoPhillips is the third largest U.S.
Build It Today

Starting a pipeline transportation, natural gas company now

Each week we rebuild one of these stories for today's tools and capital.