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A century in the making

Gulf has a rich history of excellence spanning over a century. From our founding in 1901 to our first branded petrol station in 1913, all the way to our latest partnerships and innovations, our success has come from our unfailing passion, performance and commitment to everything we do. It’s at the heart of our relationships with our customers and partners.

 

History of Gulf

 

1901

1901

Discovery
Founded in Texas, selling gasoline in containers

1910

1910

Deep dive
Gulf launches the world’s first-ever water drilling operation

1913

1913

Fill it up
Gulf introduces the first drive-through fuel station

1920

1920

Hello Gulf!
Gulf’s orange disc logo makes its first appearance

1926

1926

In business
Gulf purchases the Barco oil concession

1936

1936

Bye bye Barco
Gulf sells the Barco oil concession to Texaco

1943

1943

Hola Venezuela
Gulf establishes a presence in the oil fields of Venezuela

1967

1967

Birth of iconic cool
Gulf debuts the light blue and orange racing colours

1970

1970

New heights
Gulf reaches peak production, processing 1.3m barrels daily

1971

1971

The Man in Le Mans
Gulf features prominently in Steve McQueen’s “Le Mans” film

1975

1975

Victory
Gulf branded Mirage GR8-Ford Cosworth wins 24 Hours of Le Mans

1984

1984

Hinduja Group
Gulf is acquired by the Hinduja Group

1993

1993

Hello Middle East
Gulf Oil Middle East blending plant begins production in Jebel Ali, UAE

1995

1995

Hello India
Gulf Oil Lubricants India blending plant begins production in Silvassa

1998

1998

Hello Philippines
Gulf Oil Philippines blending plant begins production in Manila

1998 2

1998

Hello Argentina
Gulf Oil Argentina blending plant begins production in Buenos Aires

2004

2004

Trademarked
Gulf becomes the first oil company in history to trademark its racing colours

2006

2006

Hello China
Gulf Oil China blending plant begins production in Yantai

2008

2008

Water world
Gulf Oil Marine is established, servicing more than 400 ports worldwide

2009

2009

Sky high
Gulf Aviation UK is established

2010

2010

Record breaker
Gulf SUPERFLEET LE Max becomes India’s first engine oil with a drain interval of 40,000 km

2011

2011

Cricket’s finest
Gulf Oil becomes the associate sponsor of the iconic IPL team, Chennai Super Kings

2012

2012

Welcome to Houghton
Gulf acquires the world’s largest metalworking fluids manufacturer, US-based Houghton International

2014

2014

Time to invest
Gulf is listed on BSE, India's premier stock exchange

2015

2015

Growth continues
Gulf Oil Supply Company is formed and begins operating in Malta

2015 2

2015

Bigger is better
Gulf Oil Marine sells 50 million litres annually

2016

2016

Award-winning
Gulf wins the Downstream Company of the Year award

2016 2

2016

A championship team
Gulf partners with the legendary football club Manchester United

2017

2017

Exploring new horizons
Gulf Gas and Power launch in the Netherlands

2017 2

2017

Massive achievement
Gulf Oil Marine sells 100 million litres per annum and global port coverage crosses 1,000

2017 3

2017

Hello Singapore
Gulf Oil South East Asia begins operating in Singapore

2017 4

2017

Need for speed
Gulf finishes 5th in the GTE AM class of the 84th 24hrs of Le Mans

2018

2018

Right on time
Gulf enters a partnership with Tag Heuer

2020

2020

McLaren joins the team
Gulf hits the road as a strategic partner of McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive

2021

2021

#SingaporeStrong
Gulf expands its Singapore operations by acquiring a lubricant blending plant, a storage tank farm and a terminal facility

2021 2

2021

MAN Energy Solutions Approved!
Gulf Oil Marine is the first lubricant company to obtain an NOL from MAN for its CAT II 40BN Cylinder Oil: GulfSea Cylcare XP 5040X