British Petroleum Co Plc

Sectors:

  • Chemical production Basic chemicals production
  • Distribution - retailing Fuel retailing inc coal, wood, petrol, oil products, etc
  • Extraction Oil & gas extraction
  • Oil, coal, coke, etc, products manufacture Oil products refining
  • Transport services Shipping services - long distance, inc ship ownership & management

Notes:

Traces origins to concession won by William D'Arcy to explore for oil in Iran. Financed by Burmah Oil Co Ltd. 1909 Anglo Persian Oil Co Ltd established as a subsidiary of Burmah. For strategic reasons, British government took two thirds interest in business in 1914. 1920s and 30s exploited oil elsewhere in Middle East. 1932 established a joint maketing company with Shell called Shell Mex & BP Ltd. 1935 renamed Anglo Iranian Oil Co Ltd . 1951 Iranian assets nationalised and in 1954 renamed British Petroleum Oil Co Ltd. 1970s and 80s developed assets in North Sea and Alaska. British government sold its major shareholding in 1987. 1987 bought Standard Oil Co of USA and, in 1988, Britoil. 1998 merged with Amoco Corp and in 2000 acquired both Atlantic Richfield Co and Burmah Castrol Plc. 2001 renamed PB Plc. Also developed substantial shipping and chemical interests. Shipping interests were held, inter alia, in British Tanker Co Ltd, later BP Shipping Ltd. Basic chemical assets sold to Ineos Group from 2005

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