Chevron's story dates back to an 1876 oil discovery at Pico Canyon in the Santa Susana Mountains, north of Los Angeles. This find led to the 1879 formation of Chevron's earliest predecessor, the Pacific Coast Oil Co.
Another part of our history begins with the 1901 founding of The Texas Fuel Co. (later Texaco) and its historic oil discovery two years later at Sour Lake, Texas. These companies and other members of the Chevron family have been instrumental in transforming the oil business into today's global energy industry.
Throughout the 20th century, Chevron and Texaco experienced dynamic growth in the United States and internationally. In 1984, Standard Oil Co. of California, Chevron's immediate predecessor, acquired Gulf Corporation in a $13.3 billion merger. At the time, it was the largest acquisition in corporate history. That same year, Texaco purchased Getty Oil and gained 1.9 billion barrels in proved reserves of crude oil and 2.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves.
Chevron and Texaco formed a number of partnerships, most notably Caltex Corp. in 1936. The 2001 merger of Chevron and Texaco was a natural outgrowth of a successful history of teamwork. In 2005, Chevron acquired Unocal Corp. In 2011, we acquired Atlas Energy, Inc., the company added natural gas resources and shale acreage, primarily in southwestern Pennsylvania and northern Michigan.
Health and Safety
Chevron continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing health initiatives, protecting the environment and promoting safety.
Our Gulf of Mexico upstream business unit stepped up its Contractor Safety Management Program by meeting quarterly with key contractors. We instituted processes that help contract workers be aware of safe work practices, and we set standards to ensure that workers can do their jobs without risk to themselves, others or the environment.
In 2009, Chevron won the Air Conservationist of the Year Award from the Alabama Wildlife Federation for the voluntary installation of control equipment to reduce air emissions.
Chevron also received the National Ocean Industries Association 2008 Safety in Seas Award for our outstanding contribution to the safety of offshore energy workers. The award focuses on Chevron's hurricane restoration work.
Our workers also received the Bureau of Land Management State Directors' Operator of the Year Award for our operations in the Lost Hills Field in California. And our San Ardo, California, operations received the Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources 2007 Certificate of Award for Outstanding Commitment to Environmental Protection and Efficient Enhanced Oil Recovery. The state of Wyoming honored us with the Governor's Safety Award for operations at Carter Creek and the Painter Reservoir Unit.
Updated: April 2013
Cautionary Statement