Editing ARCO

{{Short description|American oil company}}
{{other uses|Arco (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Atlantic Richfield Company
| logo = ARCO.svg
| logo_caption = Logo used from 1970-2000, still used as a secondary logo
| trade_name = ARCO
| type = [[Subsidiary]]
| fate = Acquired by [[BP]], brand now owned by [[Marathon Petroleum Corporation]]
| predecessor = {{Plainlist|
* [[Atlantic Petroleum]]
* [[Richfield Oil Corporation]]
}}
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1966|1|3}}
| defunct = {{End date and age|2000|4|18}}
| location = {{plainlist|
* [[New York City]] (1966–1971)
* [[Los Angeles, California]] (1971–2000)
* [[Houston, Texas]] (2000–2012)
* [[San Antonio, Texas]] (2012–2018)
* [[Findlay, Ohio]] (2018–present)
}}
| locations = 1,200 (in 2000)
| area_served = United States
| industry = {{Plain list|
* [[Petroleum industry|Petroleum]]
}}
| owner = [[Marathon Petroleum Corporation]]
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.arco.com|arco.com}}
}}

'''ARCO''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɑːr|k|oʊ}} {{respell|AR|koh}}) is a [[brand]] of [[filling station|gasoline stations]] owned by [[Marathon Petroleum]]. [[BP]], which formerly owned the brand, uses it in [[Northern California]], [[Oregon]] and [[Washington (state)|Washington]], while Marathon has rights for the rest of the United States and Mexico.<ref name=oilgasmag>[https://www.oilandgasmagazine.com.mx/llega-marathon-petroleum-a-primeras-200-gasolineras-arco-en-mexico/ Llega Marathon Petroleum a primeras 200 gasolineras ARCO en México] ''Oil & Gas Magazine'' 16 Dec 2020</ref>

ARCO was established in 1966 as the Atlantic Richfield Company, an independent [[Petroleum|oil and gas]] company formed from the merger of [[Atlantic Petroleum]] and the [[Richfield Oil Corporation]].

== History ==
From 1966 to 2000, the Atlantic Richfield Company, [[doing business as]] ARCO, was an independent American [[petroleum industry|oil company]] with operations in the United States, Indonesia, the [[North Sea]], the [[South China Sea]] and [[Mexico]].<ref name="britannica">{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.britannica.com/topic/Atlantic-Richfield-Company |title=Atlantic Richfield Chemical and Oil (ARCO) (American oil company) |encyclopedia=Britannica Online Encyclopedia |access-date=9 October 2015}}</ref> After its acquisition of [[Anaconda Copper|Anaconda Copper Mining Company]] in 1977, ARCO had owned hard rock mines in several western states, which has created environmental clean-up liabilities to the company to this day even after the mines were closed in the early 1980s.

In 2000, [[BP#1998 to 2009|BP Amoco]] (now BP) acquired ARCO for $26.8 billion.<ref>{{citation |url=https://money.cnn.com/1999/04/01/worldbiz/bp/ |title=BP Amoco's $26.8B deal |date=April 1, 1999 |work=[[CNN Money]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://products.kitsapsun.com/archive/2000/04-14/0039_oil_merger__arco-bp_amaco_now_one.html |title=Oil Merger: Arco-BP Amoco now one |work=[[Kitsap Sun]] |first=H. Josef |last=Hebert |date=April 14, 2000}}</ref> ARCO's retail and marketing operations were kept separate while the rest of the company was integrated into BP.

In 2012, BP sold its Carson refinery, 800 ARCO stations in California, Arizona and Nevada, and the ownership of the ARCO brand to [[Tesoro Corporation|Tesoro]] for $2.5 billion while paying Tesoro for an exclusive license for use of the ARCO brand on its stations in northern California, Oregon and Washington which will be continued to be supplied from BP's [[Cherry Point Refinery]] in Washington state.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2012/08/13/tesoro-buys-bp-refinery-arco-stations/ |title=Tesoro buys BP refinery, Arco stations |newspaper=[[Orange County Register]] |date=August 13, 2012 |first=Mary Ann |last=Milbourn}}</ref>

BP has retained the Atlantic Richfield Company as a subsidiary to handle environmental claims against BP for the clean-up of former Anaconda mine properties.<ref name="reuters-2020914">{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-environment-lawsuit/9th-circuit-trims-arcos-contribution-toward-montana-superfund-site-idUSL1N2GC01F |title=9th Circuit trims ARCO's contribution toward Montana Superfund site |work=[[Reuters]] |date=September 14, 2020 |first=Sebastien |last=Malo}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/06/nevada-toxic-waste-lawsuit-residents-19m |title=Nevada residents win $19.5m settlement in toxic waste leak lawsuit |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=November 6, 2013}}</ref>

=== Early period ===
ARCO was formed by the [[mergers and acquisitions|merger]] of [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]]–based [[Atlantic Petroleum|Atlantic Refining]] and California-based [[Richfield Oil Corporation]] in 1966; the company's name is an [[acronym]] of the two companies' names. A merger in 1969, brought in [[Sinclair Oil Corporation]].<ref name="britannica"/>  In the 1970s and 80s, ARCO was one of the largest companies in the world, consistently a top 20 company of the Fortune 500.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500_archive/full/1984/ |title=FORTUNE 500: 1984 Archive Full List 1-100 |website=Fortune |access-date=2019-08-01}}</ref> After its subsequent fracture in the late 1980s and early 90s, ARCO became a subsidiary of UK-based [[BP|BP plc]] in 2000 through its BP West Coast Products LLC (BPWCP) affiliate.<ref>"[http://www.arco.com/mediapopuptwocolumn.do?categoryId=16002902&contentId=7023254 Legal information] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130323204612/http://www.arco.com/mediapopuptwocolumn.do?categoryId=16002902&contentId=7023254 |date=2013-03-23 }}". ARCO. Retrieved on July 7, 2010.</ref>

* The Atlantic Petroleum Storage Company's heritage dates back to 1866. It became part of the [[Standard Oil]] trust in 1874, but achieved independence again when Standard Oil was broken up in 1911.
* In 1915, Atlantic opens its first [[filling station]] on Baum Boulevard in [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]].
* In 1917, First Richfield Oil Company of California gas station at Slauson and Central Avenues in [[Los Angeles]], California.  Richfield Oil Company of California logo is an Eagle trademark.
* The Atlantic Refining Company was headquartered in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]].
* In 1966, Atlantic merged with the Richfield Oil Company of California. The first CEO was [[Robert Orville Anderson]], who had previously led Atlantic. The trademark for the new company, a red diamond shape called the ARCO Spark, was designed by [[Bauhaus]] artist, designer, and architect [[Herbert Bayer]].
* Commercial oil exploration started in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, in the 1960s, and the [[Prudhoe Bay Oil Field]], North America's largest oil field, was discovered on March 12, 1968, by Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) and Exxon with the well Prudhoe Bay State #1. Key employees with ARCO Alaska were [[Marvin Mangus]], John M. Sweet, and William D. Leake, chief project engineer for the Alaska pipeline. The Richfield Oil Company of California had purchased the drilling rights to the land where the discovery well was located. [[BP]] had drilling rights near the discovery well.
* ARCO acquired [[Sinclair Oil Corporation]] in 1969, but later divested certain Sinclair assets during the mid-1970s, resulting in Sinclair returning as a private company. 
* In 1978, ARCO opened the first of its [[ampm]] convenience stores in [[Southern California]].

===1980s===
Due to the increasing cost in processing credit card sales, ARCO eliminated its own private credit card program and began accepting all bank credit cards, such as Visa and MasterCard, in 1982. In this way, the company was able to pass the resulting savings on to its dealers, which resulted in the company becoming the only major gasoline retailer to accept only cash at its stations.<ref name="wp-1982mar03">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1982/03/03/arco-service-stations-will-end-credit-card-usage-after-april-14/4bf447ff-c4b0-4cf4-bca8-d8acbe9c2fe0/ |title=Arco Service Stations Will End Credit Card Usage After April 14 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=March 3, 1982 |first=Martha M. |last=Hamilton}}</ref>

In 1985, ARCO's East Coast stations were not doing very well so ARCO sold 400 service stations in eight states and the District of Columbia to [[Shell plc|Shell]] for an undisclosed price and also sold 576 service stations in [[Pennsylvania]] and New York plus a refinery in Pennsylvania for $420 million to [[Dutch people|Dutch]] trader [[John Deuss]], who rebranded the stations to their former name [[Atlantic Petroleum#Revival and demise|Atlantic]].<ref name="nyt-1985jun26" /> Deuss later sold the stations plus refinery, pipelines and terminals in 1988 to [[Sunoco]] for $513 million.<ref name="nyt-1985jun26" />

In 1986, ARCO began to accept bank ATM cards (which later became debit cards) at its stations by adding on a transaction fee of initially 10 cents for those sales while maintaining cash-only sales at the previous low price.<ref name="lat-1986mar19">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-03-19-fi-22775-story.html |title='PayPoint' Begins in April: Arco to Accept Bank ATM Cards |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=March 19, 1986 |first=John M. |last=Broder}}</ref>

===1990s===
In the beginning of the 1990s, a subsidiary, ARCO Power Technologies, later Advanced Power Technologies (APTI), was the primary contractor for the [[High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program]] (HAARP Project). ARCO having hired [[Bernard Eastlund]] led to conspiracy theories about weather control and warfare. 
In March 1997, ARCO also leased almost all the gas stations of the (now) [[Santa Fe Springs, California]]–based independent Thrifty Oil<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070311015107/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m5072/is_n6_v12/ai_8517905 Thrifty Oil Co.: gasoline retailer goes pump-to-pump with industry giants - Top 400 Private Awards | Los Angeles Business Journal | Find Articles at BNET.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> group of 250 stations found throughout California<ref>[http://www.ucan.org/law_policy/gasoline/AGComments3-11-04.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051018155718/http://www.ucan.org/law_policy/gasoline/AGComments3-11-04.html|date=October 18, 2005}}</ref> after a damaging price war which the independent Thrifty was unable to win.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-calgas18jun18,0,7589520.story?page=4&coll=la-home-business | work=Los Angeles Times | title=Refiners Maintain a Firm but Legal Grip on Supplies |first1=Elizabeth | last1=Douglass | first2=Gary | last2=Cohn | date=18 June 2005}}</ref>

On July 5, 1990, [[1990 ARCO explosion|an explosion]] at an ARCO Chemical Co. facility in [[Channelview, Texas]] killed 17 people and injured five others.

===2000s===
On April 18, 2000, ARCO was purchased by BP and completely merged into BP operations.  There were two exceptions due to FTC requirements: ARCO Alaska was sold by BP to [[Phillips Petroleum]], and ARCO Pipe Line Company was acquired by [[TEPPCO Partners|TEPPCO]], a subsidiary of [[Enterprise Products]].

===Headquarters buildings===
[[File:PaulHastingsCityNationalTwinTowers.jpg|thumb|At one time, ARCO had its headquarters in what is now the [[City National Plaza]] complex in [[Downtown Los Angeles]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arco.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980113043324/http://www.arco.com/ |archive-date=1998-01-13 |title=Welcome to ARCO Online |work=ARCO. |access-date=July 7, 2010 |quote=ARCO, 515 South Flower Street, Los Angeles, California 90071-2256 |url-status=dead}}</ref>]]

From 1972 to 2000, ARCO's global corporate headquarters were in the [[ARCO Plaza]] in Los Angeles at the corner of 5th and Flower Streets, the site of [[Richfield Tower|Richfield's former headquarters]]. Upon completion in 1972,<ref name="lat-19721001">{{cite news |url= |title=L.A. Grows Up |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=October 1, 1972 |page=N33 |last=Weaver |first=John D. |quote=The latest additions to L.A.'s urban landscape are the twin 52-story towers of Atlantic Richfield Plaza--a mammoth, $188-million office complex and shopping center that rises on the same square block at Fifth and Flower where the old, gold-spired... |id={{ProQuest|157158798}}}}</ref> the ARCO Plaza towers were the tallest buildings in the city for one year before being overtaken by [[Aon Center (Los Angeles)|Aon Center]], and were the tallest twin towers in the world until the completion of the [[World Trade Center (1973-2001)|World Trade Center]] in [[New York City]]. In 1986, joint owners ARCO and [[Bank of America]] sold the buildings to Shuwa Investments Corp., the American subsidiary of Shuwa Co. of Tokyo, for $650 million while both remained tenants in their respective named towers.<ref name="lat-1986aug05">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-08-05-fi-1544-story.html |title=Arco, B of A Will Sell Twin Tower Complex in L.A. : Deal With U.S. Unit of Shuwa Co. in Japan Will Give Both Needed Cash |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=August 5, 1986 |first=John M. |last=Broder}}</ref> ARCO moved out of the building in 1999.<ref name="lat-1999jan27">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jan-27-fi-2124-story.html |title=Arco Tower to Be Without Its Namesake, Atlantic Richfield, Come March |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=January 27, 1999 |first=Nancy Rivera |last=Brooks}}</ref> The building was renamed [[City National Plaza]] in 2005.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ladowntownnews.com/news/the-two-towerscity-national-bank-to-occupy-arco-plaza/article_c83249bc-5ecd-535b-b24d-7df4550a169f.html |title=The Two TowersCity National Bank to Occupy Arco Plaza |first=Kathryn |last=Maese |date=November 24, 2003 |work=LA Downtown News}}</ref>

ARCO's Oil & Gas division headquarters were in downtown [[Dallas, Texas]].  [[ARCO Tower]], the company's headquarters, was a 46-story office building designed by architect [[I.M. Pei]]. The building is now called [[Energy Plaza]].

===Research Laboratory===
From the 1960s, until the end of the twentieth century, ARCO operated a highly significant research and development center in Plano, Texas, on land purchased in 1964 by the Atlantic Refinery Company.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.plano.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1201/Plano-Time-Line?bidId= |title=Plano city Timeline |work=City of Plano |pages=19–20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726090551/https://www.plano.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1201/Plano-Time-Line?bidId= |archive-date=2020-07-26 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Its golden age was arguably in the early to mid 1980s, when it was led by [[Robert L. Hirsch]].  A standout example of ARCO's research at that time was the pioneering study on 4D seismic surveying by Robert Greaves and Terry Fulp.  This consisted of repeated 3D seismic surveys which successfully mapped the effects of enhanced oil recovery processes as a function of time.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Greaves |first1=Robert |first2=Terrance J. |last2=Fulp |year=1987 |title=Three-dimensional seismic monitoring of an enhanced oil recovery process |journal=[[Geophysics (journal)|Geophysics]] |volume=52 |issue=9 |pages=1175–1187 |doi=10.1190/1.1442381|bibcode=1987Geop...52.1175G }}</ref> This work was recognized for its seminal importance over 20 years later by the [[Society of Exploration Geophysicists]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wiki.seg.org/wiki/Virgil_Kauffman_Gold_Medal |title=Virgil Kauffman Gold Medal |work=[[Society of Exploration Geophysicists]]}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=April 2021|reason=How does this citation support this statement?}}  Besides Greaves and Fulp, the laboratory produced a number of other distinguished alumni during this golden age, including scientists [[John Castagna]], Michael Batzle, Geoffrey Dorn, and [[Marius Vassiliou]].  In later years the laboratory experienced significant contraction. It finally closed shortly after the 2000 acquisition of ARCO by BP.

===ARCO Solar===
During the 1970s, the United States government and states such as California sought to encourage companies to invest in the development of low-pollution renewable energy sources. Oil companies such as BP, Shell, and ARCO began to look into [[photovoltaic]]s. In 1977, ARCO purchased Chatsworth-based Solar Technology International, renamed it ARCO Solar, and moved it to Camarillo.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.pacbiztimes.com/2014/02/10/solar-pioneer-bill-yerkes-dies/ |title=Solar pioneer Bill Yerkes dies |date=February 10, 2014 |work=Pacific Coast Business Times}}</ref> In 1982, ARCO constructed the world's first photovoltaic central utility power plant, a 1-megawatt facility near Hesperia.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5049780 |title=Design, installation and performance of ARCO solar photovoltaic power plants |journal=Conf. Rec. IEEE Photovoltaic Spec. Conf.; (United States)|date=May 1984 |osti=5049780 |last1=Tolbert |first1=R. E. L. |last2=Arnett |first2=J. C. }}</ref> Unfortunately for ARCO, the solar panel industry was costly and not very profitable, so it was looking for a buyer by 1989.<ref name="lat-1989feb25">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-02-25-fi-101-story.html |title=Atlantic Richfield Plans to Sell Arco Solar Unit, Cites Poor Prospects for Growth |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=February 25, 1989 |first=Donald |last=Woutat}}</ref> It finally sold the company to the German company [[Siemens]] for $36 million in 1990.<ref name="lat-1989aug03">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-08-03-fi-1007-story.html |title=Siemens Wins Bidding for Pioneering Arco Solar Unit |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=August 3, 1989 |first=Patrick |last=Lee}}</ref><ref name="upi-1993mar01">{{cite news |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1993/03/01/Siemens-accuses-ARCO-of-fraud-in-sale-of-solar-business/9972730962000/ |title=Siemens accuses ARCO of fraud in sale of solar business |newspaper=[[United Press International]] |date=March 1, 1993 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref>

===ARCO Chemical===
In 1987, ARCO Chemical Co. was spun off and taken public, with ARCO selling 19.9% to the public.<ref name="lat-1987jun23">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-06-23-fi-10100-story.html |title=Arco may get a special payment from a subsidiary. |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=June 23, 1987 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref> Lyondell Chemical Company (now [[LyondellBasell]]), bought ARCO Chemical in 1998 for $5.6 billion including ARCO's entire 82.2% ownership stake.<ref name="lat-1998jun19">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jun-19-fi-61411-story.html |title=Lyondell to Acquire Arco Chemical |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=June 19, 1998 |first=Nancy Rivera |last=Brooks}}</ref>

===Anaconda Copper===
ARCO merged with [[Anaconda Copper|Anaconda Copper Mining Company]] of [[Montana]] in 1977. Anaconda's holdings included the [[Berkeley Pit]] and the [[Anaconda, Montana]] Smelter. ARCO founder [[Robert Orville Anderson]] stated "he hoped Anaconda's resources and expertise would help him launch a major [[Shale oil extraction|shale-oil venture]], but that the world [[1980s oil glut|oil glut]] and the declining [[price of petroleum]] made [[shale oil]] moot".<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The U.S. Business Hall of Fame| magazine= Fortune | date= 1986-04-14 | url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1986/04/14/67377/index.htm| author=Arthur M. Louis research associate Rosalind Klein Berlin}}</ref> The purchase turned out to be a regrettable decision for ARCO. A lack of experience with hard-rock mining and a sudden drop in the price of [[copper]] to below seventy cents a pound, the lowest in years, caused ARCO to suspend all operations in [[Butte, Montana]]. By 1983, only six years after acquiring rights to the "[[Richest hill on earth|Richest Hill on Earth]]", the Berkeley Pit was completely idle. By 1986, some ARCO properties were sold to billionaire industrialist [[Dennis Washington]], whose company, Montana Resources, operates a much smaller open-pit mine east of the defunct Berkeley Pit.

====Superfund site====
ARCO was the responsible party (by its ownership of Anaconda Copper at the time operations were terminated) for the largest U.S. [[Superfund]] [[Berkeley Pit|site]]—a site that takes in the towns of Butte and Anaconda, and {{convert|120|mi|km}} of the [[Clark Fork River]] including [[Milltown Dam]]. The region's water and soil were polluted by a century of mining and smelting. Chemicals of concern include many heavy metals and arsenic.  On 7 February 2008, the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] announced that prolonged litigation with ARCO ended when ARCO agreed to pay $187 million to finance natural resource restoration activities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/CE166ABD9B8E9A76852573E8005C762B |title=Atlantic Richfield Company agrees to pay $187M for Montana Superfund Cleanup &#124; Newsroom &#124; US EPA |publisher=Yosemite.epa.gov |date=2008-02-07 |access-date=2013-02-18}}</ref>  Anaconda Copper still nominally exists, but only as a massive environmental liability for BP.

Atlantic Richfield Co and its then parent BP America agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by about 700 current and former residents of Yerington, Nevada, who lived near the Anaconda mine built in 1941. The company paid in Nevada up to $19.5M for settlement. EPA tested in 2009 wells and found that 79% of the wells north of mine had dangerous levels of uranium and/or arsenic.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/06/nevada-toxic-waste-lawsuit-residents-19m Nevada residents win $19.5m settlement in toxic waste leak lawsuit] The Guardian 7 November 2013</ref>

===Legal issues===
In September 2010, the staff of [[KCST-FM]] in [[Florence, Oregon]], noticed that the station's [[Emergency Alert System]] (EAS) equipment would repeatedly unmute as if receiving an incoming EAS message several times a week. During each event, which was relayed from [[KKNU]] in [[Springfield, Oregon]] the same commercial advertisement for ARCO/[[BP]] gasoline could be heard, along with the words "This test has been brought to you by ARCO". Further investigation by the primary station transmitting the commercial revealed that the spot had been produced using an audio clip of an actual EAS header which had been modified to lower the header's volume and presumably prevent it from triggering false positive alert reactions in EAS equipment. The spot was distributed nationally, and after it had once been identified as the source of the false EAS equipment trips, various stations around the country reported having had similar experiences. After a widespread notification by the [[Society of Broadcast Engineers]] was issued, ARCO's ad agency withdrew the commercial from airplay.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://radiomagonline.com/currents/news/arco-oil-radio-ads-false-eas-header-0909/ | title=Arco Oil Radio Ads Include False EAS Header | work=Radio | date=September 9, 2010 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140824070213/http://radiomagonline.com/currents/news/arco-oil-radio-ads-false-eas-header-0909/ | archive-date=August 24, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.sbe.org/sections/pub_sc3%201.php | title=ARCO Commercial Trips EAS Units (Society of Broadcast Engineers) | work=Radio | date=September 10, 2010 | access-date=September 15, 2015 | archive-date=April 20, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150420074506/http://www.sbe.org/sections/pub_sc3%201.php | url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Sponsorships===
<!-- NOTE TO EDITORS: It is well known that Atantic Richfield/ARCO had been a sponsor to many entertainment activities. Please do not add anything without a reference to a notable citation! Uncited material will be removed. -->

====Sports====
Starting in 1965, ARCO sponsored the ARCO Jesse Owens Games, an annual track meet for children aged ten to fifteen that was started by Olympics gold medalist [[Jesse Owens]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://case.edu/ech/articles/o/owens-jesse |title=Owens, Jesse |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Cleveland History|date=November 11, 2020 }}</ref>

In 1980, ARCO became a sponsor of the [[1984 Summer Olympics]] that were held in Los Angeles and had helped financed the refurbishing of the [[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum]].<ref name="upi-1980dec04">{{cite news |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1980/12/04/The-Atlantic-Richfield-Co-signed-on-today-as-a/6279344754000/ |title=The Atlantic Richfield Co. signed on today as a... |newspaper=[[United Press International]] |date=December 4, 1980 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref>

In 1985, ARCO became a sponsor of the just-moved [[Sacramento Kings]] basketball franchise and had obtained the long-term naming rights for both their temporary and permanent homes, [[Original ARCO Arena]] and the purpose-built [[ARCO Arena]].<ref name="upi-1985aug20">{{cite news |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/08/20/The-new-arena-for-the-Sacramento-Kings-of-the/9891493358400/ |title=The new arena for the Sacramento Kings of the... |newspaper=[[United Press International]] |date=August 20, 1985 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref> After BP acquired ARCO in 2000, BP decided not to renew the naming rights to the arena when the sponsorship was due to expire in February 2011.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.athleticbusiness.com/stadium-arena/arco-arena-loses-sponsorship-deal-new-venues-go-without.html |title=Arco Arena Loses Sponsorship Deal; New Venues Go Without |first=Cathy |last=Liewen |date=September 2010 |work=Athletic Business}}</ref>

====Music====
During the 1980s and 1990s, ARCO had sponsored the annual ''ARCO Concerts in the Sky'' summer jazz series at the [[Bonaventure Hotel]] in downtown Los Angeles.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SBS19810626.1.43&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1 |title=Summer Festival of Music |newspaper=[[San Bernardino Sun]] |date=June 26, 1981 |page=C-3}}</ref><ref name="lat-1990jun14">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-06-14-ca-492-story.html |title=Charles Lloyd Takes the Comeback Road Less Traveled : Jazz: The reclusive sax great has emerged again from his Big Sur hide-out with a new band, a new album and a rare Los Angeles appearance today. |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=June 14, 1990 |first=Josef |last=Woodard}}</ref>

== Leadership ==

=== President ===

# Thornton F. Bradshaw, 1966–1981
# William F. Kieschnick Jr, 1981–1985
# [[Lodwrick Cook|Lodwrick M. Cook]], 1985
# Robert E. Wycoff, 1986–1993
# Michael R. Bowlin, 1993–1998
# Michael E. Wiley, 1998–2000

=== Chairman of the Board ===

# [[Robert O. Anderson]], 1966–1985
# [[Lodwrick Cook|Lodwrick M. Cook]], 1986–1995
# Michael R. Bowlin, 1995–2000

==ARCO service station brand==
Currently, the brand name ARCO is being used by [[Marathon Petroleum]] as a brand of gasoline service stations in the United States and Mexico. In Northern California, Oregon, and Washington states, the ARCO brand is licensed for exclusive use to BP for the sale of gasoline in those areas.

Any independent station can adopt the ARCO brand in any territory that is covered by the Marathon Petroleum distribution network outside the BP territories of the northwest.

It has more than 1,300 gas stations in the western part of the United States,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arco.com/sectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=16002899&contentId=7022959 |title=Official About ARCO Page |publisher=ARCO |access-date=2011-07-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707161145/http://www.arco.com/sectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=16002899&contentId=7022959 |archive-date=7 July 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> and recently ({{as of|2017|lc=y}}) five gas stations in northwestern Mexico.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.andeavor.com/about/news-andeavor-marks-first-arco-station-in-mexico-with-grand-opening-celebration/ |title=Andeavor Marks First ARCO® Station in Mexico with Grand Opening Celebration |publisher=Andeavor |access-date=12 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.onexpo.com.mx/NOTICIAS/tiene-arco-5-gasolineras-en-mexico/ |title=Tiene Arco 5 gasolineras en México |publisher=Organización Nacional de Expendedores de Petróleo (Mexico) |access-date=12 November 2017}}</ref>

===History===
[[File:Arcostation, LA.jpg|thumb|right|200px|An ARCO filling station off [[Slauson Avenue]] in [[Los Angeles, California]] circa (2005)]]

After the Atlantic Richfield Company acquired Sinclair Oil in 1969, Atlantic Richfield decided to merge their three separate service brands into one and call it ARCO. $60 million was spent in the rebranding effort.<ref name="lat-1971apr11">{{cite news |title=What's in a Name? $60 Million for Arco: Atlantic Richfield Re-Signing Represents Biggest Corporate Face-Lift Atlantic Richfield's $60 Million Face-Lift One of History's Biggest |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=April 11, 1971 |page=k1 |last=Rosenblatt |first=Robert A. |id={{ProQuest|156676561}} |quote=Arco was chosen early in the company's marketing name. It had been used for years in internal correspondence at the old Atlantic Refining Co.}}</ref>

Over the course of 2004 and 2005, ARCO signs were replaced with signs that still had the ARCO spark,{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}} but BP's [[Helios]] (BP's new white, yellow, and green "sunburst" mark named after the Greek Sun god, replacing the old British Petroleum shield mark)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.signresource.net/news/bp_helios.htm |title=SignResource Delivers Its 30,000th BP Helios |work=SignResource |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060501064439/http://www.signresource.net/news/bp_helios.htm |archive-date=May 1, 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=April 2021|reason=No mention of old British Petroleum shield mark nor replacement of ARCO signs}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.caseplace.org/cases/cases_show.htm?doc_id=291859 |title=Case Studies - BP and Corporate Greenwash |publisher=CasePlace.org |access-date=2013-02-18 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070523050019/http://www.caseplace.org/cases/cases_show.htm?doc_id=291859 |archive-date=2007-05-23}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=April 2021|reason=No mention of old British Petroleum shield mark nor replacement of ARCO signs}} is also located on the sign. A new tagline "ARCO—part of BP" also appeared on some signs and advertisements. ARCO was known for sponsoring the [[ARCO Arena]] (now [[Sleep Train Arena]]) in [[Sacramento, California]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/kings/news/arco_arena_naming_rights_ext.html |title=Maloof Sports & Entertainment Announces Extension to Naming Rights Agreement for ARCO Arena |date=March 19, 2007 |work=[[National Basketball Association]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090724222406/http://www.nba.com/kings/news/arco_arena_naming_rights_ext.html |archive-date=2009-07-24 }}</ref> with a license fee of $750,000/year through 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://people.uleth.ca/~rockerbie/SportsText.pdf |title=The Economics of Professional Sports |first=Duane W. |last=Rockerbie |date=September 2009 |page=137 |access-date=2011-07-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716093538/http://people.uleth.ca/~rockerbie/SportsText.pdf |archive-date=16 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On August 13, 2012, it was announced<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-carson-refinery-20120813,0,3709153.story |work=Los Angeles Times |title=BP sells Carson refinery, Arco retail to Tesoro |date=13 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825110316/http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-carson-refinery-20120813%2C0%2C3709153.story |archive-date=25 August 2012 }}</ref> that [[Tesoro Corporation|Tesoro]] would purchase ARCO and its refinery for $2.5 billion.  The deal came under fire because of increasing fuel prices. Many activists urged state and federal regulators to block the sale because of concerns that it would reduce competition and could lead to higher fuel prices at ARCO stations (ARCO stations make up more than half of all stations with the lowest fuel prices in California).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-xpm-2012-oct-09-la-fi-arco-tesoro-20121010-story.html |title=Tesoro plan to buy Arco gets more scrutiny amid gas-price surge |date=October 9, 2012 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |first=Ronald D. |last=White |access-date=December 8, 2012}}</ref> On June 3, 2013,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.euro-petrole.com/tesoro-corporation-closes-the-purchase-of-bp-s-southern-california-refining-and-marketing-business-n-i-7731 |title=Tesoro Corporation Closes the Purchase of BP's Southern California Refining and Marketing Business |date=June 3, 2013 |work=EuroPétrole}}</ref> BP sold ARCO and the Carson Refinery to Tesoro for $2.5 billion. BP sold its Southern California terminals (Vinvale, Colton, San Diego, Hathaway, and Hynes) to Tesoro Logistics LP, including the Carson Storage Facility.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BP completes sale of Carson refinery and southwest US retail assets to Tesoro |url=https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/news-and-insights/press-releases/bp-completes-sale-of-carson-refinery-and-southwest-u-s-retail-a.html}}</ref> BP sold the ampm brand to Tesoro for Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada. BP exclusively licensed the ARCO rights from Tesoro for Northern California, Oregon, and Washington.

ARCO is known for its low-priced gasoline compared to other national brands, mainly because of an early 1980s business decision to emphasize cost cutting (cash/debit-only policy) and alternative sources of income (ampm). ARCO is headquartered in [[La Palma, California]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.manta.com/coms2/dnbcompany_fqk2c4 |title=B P West Coast Products LLC Company Profile |publisher=Manta.com |access-date=2011-07-07 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110928142616/http://www.manta.com/coms2/dnbcompany_fqk2c4 |archive-date=September 28, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/company-profile.html |title=Atlantic Richfield Company Inc Company Profile |publisher=D&B Hoovers |access-date=2019-05-25}}</ref>

Tesoro was renamed Andeavor in 2017, and shortly afterwards introduced the ARCO brand for the first time in Mexico by the opening of ARCO branded stations in [[Tijuana]].<ref name="globenewswire-2017aug29">{{cite press release |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/08/29/1101940/0/en/Andeavor-Opens-First-ARCO-Station-in-Mexico.html |title=Andeavor Opens First ARCO Station in Mexico |work=[[GlobeNewswire]] |date=August 29, 2017 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref><ref name="sabj-2017aug24">{{cite news |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2017/08/24/tijuana-first-to-sell-andeavors-arco-brand-of.html |title=Tijuana first to sell Andeavor's ARCO brand of gasoline in Mexico |work=[[San Antonio Business Journal]] |date=August 24, 2017 |first=Sergio |last=Chapa}}</ref> The introduction of the ARCO brand and other American brands in Mexico came after Mexico ended the monopoly of state-owned [[Pemex]].

In spring of 2018, Andeavor began rebranding some SuperAmerica branded stations in North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Minnesota to ARCO.<ref name="csn-2018mar12">{{cite news |url=https://csnews.com/andeavor-bring-arco-brand-new-region-spring |title=Andeavor to Bring ARCO Brand to New Region This Spring |website=Convenience Store News |date=March 12, 2018 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref>
<!-- No map of ARCO locations yet: [[File:ARCO footprint.png|thumb|Map of ARCO locations as of 2024.]] -->
[[File:ARCOOhio.jpg|thumb|right|200px|An ARCO station in [[St. Clairsville, Ohio]] in 2021, well out of ARCO's traditional marketing territory and in the home state of Marathon.]]
Andeavor was acquired by [[Marathon Petroleum]] in 2018. Following the acquisition, Marathon hinted at keeping the ARCO brand name while rebranding Andeavor's other brands either as standard Marathon stations (for franchised locations) or [[Speedway (store)|Speedway]] locations (for company-owned locations); stations still owned by BP may either remain as ARCO or rebranded as [[Amoco]], as BP does not own the rights to the BP name due to licensing-based reasons in the Western United States.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kress |first1=Melissa |date=May 1, 2018 |title=How Marathon Petroleum & Andeavor Merger Will Create a Retail & Marketing Powerhouse |url=https://csnews.com/how-marathon-petroleum-andeavor-merger-will-create-retail-marketing-powerhouse|work=Convenience Store News }}</ref> Following the merger, ARCO and Marathon began to be marketed together with Marathon stations replacing various Andeavor brands in the Western markets (including [[Exxon]], [[Mobil]] and [[Shell USA|Shell]] stations under license with [[ExxonMobil]] and [[Shell plc|Shell]], respectively) while ARCO returned to Eastern markets for the first time since 1985. Marathon ultimately sold Speedway to [[7-Eleven|7-ELEVEn]] in 2021, including some former Andeavor properties.

In 2021, ARCO reinstituted accepting credit cards, and engaged in an advertising campaign to inform consumers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Campaign Overview |url=http://www.arco-marketing.com/campaign-overview |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=ARCO Marketing |language=en-US}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Companies|Energy|Greater Los Angeles}}
* [[ARCO Arena (1985)]] and successor venue ARCO Arena (currently the [[Sleep Train Arena]]) in [[Sacramento, California]]
* [[Conoco-Phillips Building]] in [[Anchorage, Alaska]] originally the ARCO Tower
* [[Harold Harby]], employee of Richfield Oil and member of the [[Los Angeles City Council]] for all but one year from 1939 to 1957

==References==
{{reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name="nyt-1985jun26">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/06/26/business/arco-agrees-to-sell-refinery-stations.html |title=Arco Agrees to Sell Refinery, Stations |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 26, 1985 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref>

}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/19990418053427/http://www.arco.com/ Official website as an independent company] (archived)

{{BP}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:ARCO| ]]
[[Category:Oil companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Automotive fuel retailers]]
[[Category:Former BP subsidiaries]]
[[Category:Gas stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Petroleum in California]]
[[Category:Companies based in Orange County, California]]
[[Category:La Palma, California]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1966]]
[[Category:Retail companies established in 1966]]
[[Category:Energy companies established in 1966]]
[[Category:Non-renewable resource companies established in 1966]]
[[Category:1966 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Economy of the Western United States]]
[[Category:Standard Oil]]
[[Category:Marathon Petroleum]]
[[Category:Defunct oil companies of the United States]]