Petron Corporation
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Petron Corporation

Petron Corporation is one of the largest oil companies in the Philippines, supplying more than a third of the country's oil requirements. It operates a refinery in Limay, Bataan with a rated capacity of 180,000 barrels per day (29,000 m3/d). From the refinery, Petron moves its products mainly by sea to 32 depots and terminals throughout the country. It is the sole oil refiner in the country after Pilipinas Shell exited the refining business.

Petron's history dates back to September 7, 1933, when Socony-Vacuum Oil Company (Standard Oil of New York) and Standard Oil of New Jersey (also known as Jersey Standard) merged their interests in the Far East into a 50–50 joint venture named the Standard Vacuum Oil Company (Stanvac). It operated in 50 countries, including the Philippines, New Zealand, China, and the region of East Africa.

In 1953, the Philippine national government, partly to promote Claro M. Recto's national industrialization program and partly to respond to increasing international oil prices, attempted to launch a national oil company that caters Filipino consumers with affordable petroleum products.[citation needed] In 1957, Stanvac won the concession to build and operate a refinery in Bataan. For this purpose, FilOil Refinery Corporation was established in 1959.

In 1962, due to an antitrust suit, Stanvac was dissolved and the marketing and refining interests were divided between the former partners. Eastern Standard Esso took over Stanvac's Philippine operations, including FilOil Refinery Corporation. Esso was a trade name used by Standard Oil of New Jersey.

In 1973, the Philippine government, through the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC), acquired Esso Philippines, Inc., including FilOil Refinery Corporation. Esso Philippines, Inc. was renamed Petrophil Corporation (Petrophil) and by 1974, Esso filling stations were rebranded as "Petron", a portmanteau of petroleum (PET) and research octane number (RON). Subsequently, Mobil (successor of Socony-Vacuum Oil Company) also sold its share in FilOil Refinery Corporation to PNOC. The oil refining and marketing units in PNOC, including FilOil Refinery Corporation, were merged into Petrophil Corporation. In 1988, Petrophil Corporation was renamed Petron Corporation.

As part of the government's privatization program under President Fidel V. Ramos, PNOC sought a strategic partner that would give Petron a reliable supply of oil, plus access to state-of-the-art refining technology. The result was a partnership with the world's largest oil producer, Saudi Aramco. On February 3, 1994, PNOC and Aramco Overseas Co. B.V. signed a share purchase agreement that gave both an equal 40% stake in Petron Corporation. The remaining 20% of Petron shares were sold to the public.

On August 11, 2006, a Petron oil tanker Solar 1, carrying fuel oil sank, causing the Guimaras oil spill, the biggest oil spill in Philippine history.

In 2008, Saudi Aramco sold its entire stake to the Ashmore Group, a London-listed investment group. Ashmore acquired an additional 11% when it made a required tender offer to other shareholders. By July 2008, Ashmore, through its SEA Refinery Holdings B.V., had a 50.57 percent of Petron's stock. Ashmore's payment was made in December 2008. In December 2008, Ashmore acquired PNOC's 40% stake. In the same month, San Miguel Corporation (SMC) said it was in the final stages of negotiations with the Ashmore Group to buy up to 50.1 percent of Petron. In 2010, SMC acquired majority control of Petron Corporation.

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