By Robert Tate, Award-Winning Automotive Historian and Researcher
Images courtesy of Shell Oil Company Archives
Published 12.10.2024
An Early Shell gas station (Shell Oil Archives)
The Shell Oil Company has been around for more than 100 years. It has its origins in the Shell Transport and Trading Company, which was started by the Samuel brothers in 1893. In 1896, their kerosene trade was earning more than all the other oil businesses in America.
An early Shell Oil truck (Shell Oil Archives)
The name “Shell” can be traced back to the seashell that Marcus Samuel, one of the founders, imported from the east during the late 19th century. In the beginning, the company was called the Royal Dutch Shell Group, but later the name was changed to just plain Shell Oil.
An early Shell advertising illustration (Shell Oil Archives)
The first Shell logo started out as a black and white mussel shell design; however, a new design was developed and trademarked in 1900. The reason why the colors yellow and red were selected for advertising and marketing was because they offered a great image for the company brand.
During the 1920s, Shell was actively laying pipelines across the country to transport oil from its Texas fields to the Wood River Refinery in 1927. Shell also purchased the Ozark Pipeline Corporation in 1929, which was a huge investment. 1929 was also the year that Shell began to sell gasoline throughout the United States.
A 1920s Shell advertising poster (Shell Oil Archives)
During the 1930s, as Americans dealt with the Great Depression, Shell had to look at cost cutting as a way to continue doing business. In 1934, the company began supplying fuel to the U.S. Air Corps in 1934. Later, Shell would become the largest producer of aviation fuel and became an important part of supplying the U.S. military during World War II.
A Shell Oil gas station
In 1939, the Shell Oil Company of California combined with the Shell Petroleum Corporation and the name was changed to Shell Oil Company.
By the 1950s, Americans were purchasing new and larger automobiles with chrome. During this time, Shell had to increase its oil explorations and activities to expand fuel production for satisfy the needs of American motorists. Shell also researched and developed more fuel-efficient products, including high-octane and unleaded gasoline.
A 1958 Shell Oil attendant
In 1958, Shell redesigned many of their gas stations to present a more customer-friendly look. The stations began to offer that ranch-style building offering more retail products and merchandise for customers.
Shell Oil logo timeline history (Shell Oil Archives)
In 1971, Shell introduced the self-service station. Some historians reported that this helped the company gain significant market share in the U.S. In the 1970s and 1980s, Shell invested in reducing pollution and conserving energy. The company also began publishing a series of consumer-oriented booklets on topics like car maintenance and energy conservation in an attempt to educate and market to the motoring public. In later years, Shell began drilling for oil and natural gas deposits in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico.
A later Shell Oil gas station (Shell Oil Archives)
In conclusion, for over 100 years the Shell Oil Company has provided great care for the motoring public and will always be a part of our American car culture.
Bibliography
Editors Of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Shell Oil Company.”
The Shell Oil Company. “Our Brand History.”
Meredith, Sam. “Shell and Equinor to Create Britan’s Largest Independent Oil and Gas Company in Joint Venture.” CNBC.com, December 2024.