COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 48691

Pipeline Transportation of Refined Petroleum Products

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

14companies1870–1998founding years12still active2no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedAtlantic Richfield CompanyFoundedAtlantic Richfield Company
1870
FoundedSunoco, Inc.FoundedSunoco, Inc.
1890
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedThe Williams Companies, Inc.FoundedThe Williams Companies, Inc.
1908
FoundedCITGO Petroleum CorporationFoundedCITGO Petroleum CorporationFoundedUltramar Diamond Shamrock CorporationFoundedUltramar Diamond Shamrock Corporation
1910
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
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.
FoundedMcDermott International, Inc.FoundedMcDermott International, Inc.
1946
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.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
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.FoundedBP p.l.c.
1998
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
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

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…
McDermott International, Inc. →
Active · founded 1946
McDermott International, Inc.
McDermott International, Inc. →
Active · founded 1946
McDermott International, Inc.
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.
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