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Who We Are

To some, the Shell Puget Sound Refinery is just a collection of mysterious equipment across the bay on March Point. A place where Dad or Mom or Uncle Jack might make a living.  psr_new_signOr maybe the refinery is just a big customer for local products and services. For many, the refinery is a huge source of needed tax revenue to help propel Skagit County’s economy.

It’s all that and more. Certainly we make fuels and other essential products at the refinery. But Shell Puget Sound Refinery is basically people serving the needs of the community. And we play an important part in the life of Anacortes and the Skagit Valley.

So it’s important for all of us at the Shell plant to know the people we serve, just as it’s important for you to get to know us. This information is designed to help you understand better how we create the fuel products you use. And if you have friends, family or neighbors who work here, this will also help you understand what their day is like.

Consider this a first step in getting better acquainted.

From Texaco to Equilon to Shell: From 1958 to 2002

On March 1, 2002 the Equilon Puget Sound Refining Company officially became Shell Puget Sound Refinery.  We are now part of a company called Shell Oil Products US and our new name is Shell Puget Sound Refinery. In 1958, this refinery was officially opened by Texaco. For 40 years it proudly carried the Texaco name and the huge sign overlooking Fidalgo Bay became a landmark for the community. Texaco employees worked hard to make this facility one of the more efficient, reliable and productive refineries. It earned a well-deserved reputation for strong performance supported by Texaco's continued investment in new and improved technologies. 

When the refinery opened in September 1958, it could process 45,000 barrels of crude oil each day. Today, this facility processes nearly three times that, or 145,000 barrels of crude per day. Now, over 400 employees draw their family-wage paychecks from this facility, and approximately 250 contract workers do the same.

1[1]Things change, and in January 1998, Texaco joined forces with Shell to form a company called Equilon Enterprises LLC. Equilon included the combined West Coast refining operations of both companies as well as transportation, lubricants and retail operations. Shell and Texaco service stations were owned or licensed by Equilon Enterprises.

In October 2001, Texaco and Chevron decided to merge, creating ChevronTexaco. Because of Chevron's already strong presence on the West Coast, Texaco was required to sell its ownership in Equilon. Shell purchased Texaco's interest in Equilon and is now the exclusive owner of this facility and the rest of what was Equilon. And that's how Shell ended up owning the former Texaco refinery.

What may be really confusing to the local community is seeing the Shell logo on what was the Texaco refinery when it used to seen on the refinery next door--now the Tesoro refinery. If all this isn't enough to confuse you, many of the Texaco service stations you see are now owned or licensed by Shell. Under the agreement with Texaco, Shell will begin to phase out this brand with the intent to convert all of its Texaco stations to Shell over the next couple of years.  With the conclusion of the various sales, Shell Oil Products US along with Motiva Enterprises has become the largest U.S. gasoline seller with control over 22,000 gasoline stations.