Humble Oil

Humble Oil and Refining Co.
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Petroleum
Founded	February 1, 1911; 115 years ago in Humble, Texas, United States
Founder	Walter Fondren Sr., Ross Sterling, Frank Sterling, Florence M. Sterling
Defunct	1973
Fate	Rebranded as Exxon; assets integrated into ExxonMobil
Headquarters	Humble, Texas, United States
Area served	United States (national expansion)
Key people	William Stamps Farish II (VP, President), Ross S. Sterling (President), others (see article)
Products	Gasoline, lubricants, petroleum products
Parent	Standard Oil Company of New Jersey (later Exxon Corporation)

Humble Oil and Refining Co. was an American petroleum company established in 1911 in Humble, Texas. In 1919, Standard Oil of New Jersey purchased a 50% interest, eventually acquiring full control by September 1959. The Humble brand continued until 1973, when Standard Oil of New Jersey adopted the Exxon name nationwide, retiring the Humble brand along with Esso and Enco. Currently, the former Humble assets are integrated within ExxonMobil, created through the 1999 merger of Exxon and Mobil.

History

In February 1911, Humble Oil was incorporated by Walter Fondren Sr., along with brothers Ross Sterling and Frank Sterling, and their sister Florence M. Sterling, who took on the roles of company secretary and treasurer. This sibling group was commonly referred to as the "Trio."

On June 21, 1917, the company reorganized as Humble Oil and Refining Company with capitalization set at $1 million. A pivotal figure in this development was William Stamps Farish II, who served as vice president for five years before ascending to president in 1922. Farish later became chairman and president of Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, which held a major stake in Humble.

National expansion and the Enco brand launch

The reorganization allowed Humble to market gasoline nationally under the brands Esso, Enco, and Humble. The Enco brand debuted in 1960 in Ohio, but was soon withdrawn after Standard Oil of Ohio (Sohio) asserted trademark infringement claims due to its resemblance to Esso’s logo. As a result, Ohio stations reverted to using the Humble name, although Enco branding persisted on gasoline and lubricants until the Exxon rebranding in 1972.

In Colorado, Humble's "Carter" stations transitioned to Enco during the early 1960s. While Enco was discontinued in Ohio, it expanded into non-Esso territories such as the Midwest through Jersey affiliate Pate Oil and into the Pacific Northwest via Carter Oil. The Humble brand remained strong in Texas and grew throughout the Southwest during the 1950s. By 1961, stations in Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona adopted the Enco name; Texas followed suit by 1962. Enco also extended into new regions including the West Coast.

In 1963, Humble attempted to acquire Tidewater Oil Company's refining and marketing operations on the West Coast to gain entry into California’s rapidly expanding gasoline market. However, this acquisition was blocked by the U.S. Justice Department, leading to Tidewater’s assets being sold to Phillips Petroleum in 1966. Subsequently, Humble constructed new stations and rebranded existing ones under Enco on the West Coast, acquired numerous Signal Oil outlets in 1967, and opened a refinery in Benicia, California in 1969.

In response to complaints from Standard Oil of Kentucky (which was transitioning to Chevron), the Justice Department mandated that Humble cease using Esso branding in several Southeastern states by 1966. By the following year, those locations had been converted to Enco.

Phasing out Humble and Enco brands in favor of Exxon

Although Humble's 1959 "Put A Tiger In Your Tank" campaign successfully promoted Enco/Esso Extra gasolines, the company faced challenges competing nationally against fully unified brands like Texaco, which operated under a single brand across all states. By the late 1960s, it became clear that a consolidated national brand was necessary. Plans to adopt "Enco" as the sole brand were abandoned after discovering that "Enco" carried an unfavorable meaning—"stalled car"—in Japanese.

Following successful pilot marketing efforts, all U.S. service stations and petroleum products branded as Esso and Enco (including Humble-branded outlets in Ohio) were rebranded as Exxon in 1972. This comprehensive branding transition—among the costliest ever undertaken within the American oil sector—involved updating signage, fuel pumps, product packaging, transportation fleets, and issuing millions of new credit cards across over 25,000 locations.

On January 1, 1973, Standard Oil of New Jersey officially changed its corporate name to Exxon Corporation. Simultaneously, Humble Oil and Refining Co. became Exxon USA, while Esso Chemicals merged with Enjay Chemicals to create Exxon Chemicals.

Initial investigations into climate change

In 1957, researchers at Humble Oil released a study revealing a notable rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels attributed to fossil fuel burning since the onset of the Industrial Revolution. Exxon acknowledged these early findings and proceeded to conduct its own investigations regarding the company’s contribution to global warming, demonstrating an early corporate recognition of environmental challenges.

Expansion plans in Monterey County (CA)

Humble Oil proposed in 1965 a substantial development spanning 60 square miles at Moss Landing, Monterey County, intending to construct a refinery with an initial capacity of 50,000 barrels per day, with potential growth to between 150,000 and 200,000 barrels on a 444-acre wetland adjacent to Elkhorn Slough. This initiative sparked division among local groups: proponents included certain agricultural sectors and tourism supporters, yet emerging environmental organizations opposed it. Public opinion polls indicated support exceeding two-to-one. After an extensive public hearing, the county board of supervisors narrowly approved the project by a 3–2 vote, largely influenced by Warren Church, representing a district favorable to the refinery. Nonetheless, the permit was granted under stringent conditions following further deliberations.

Key limitations involved mandates on parking provisions, sulfur recovery systems, and controls on carbon monoxide emissions. Church also required Humble to install three air pollution monitoring stations for two years prior to construction to establish baseline pollution data, with all costs charged to the company. These stipulations were unprecedented within the industry and included a clause forbidding significant expansion without obtaining new permits, illustrating Monterey County’s rigorous regulatory stance.

By early 1966, Humble sought authorization for an expanded refinery but encountered resistance from Church and others demanding evidence that the smaller facility could comply with environmental standards. Lacking sufficient support for enlargement, Humble halted progress at Moss Landing in May 1966, citing difficulties with permitting among other challenges. Ultimately, public resistance, legal obstacles, and technical problems compelled Humble to abandon its Monterey County project and shift focus toward constructing a larger refinery in Benicia.

This case exemplifies the intricate balance between industrial growth and environmental plus community interests—a vital factor in corporate strategy and market entry decisions within ecologically sensitive zones. The unsuccessful venture underscores how regulatory environments and local stakeholder power can profoundly affect corporate expansion and capital investment within the energy industry.

Presidents

Ross S. Sterling, 1917–1922
William S. Farish II, 1922–1933
Robert L. Blaffer, 1933–1937
Harry C. Wiess, 1937–1948
Hines H. Baker Sr, 1948–1957
Morgan J. Davis, 1957–1961
Carl E. Reistle Jr, 1961–1963
J. Kenneth Jamieson, 1963–1964
Charles F. Jones, 1964–1970
Thomas D. Barrow, 1970–1973

Board Chairpersons

Ross S. Sterling, 1922–1925
Robert L. Blaffer, 1937–1941
Harry C. Wiess, 1948
Leonidas T. Barrow, 1948–1955
J. A. Neath, 1955–1957
Morgan J. Davis, 1961–1963
Carl E. Reistle Jr, 1963–1966
Myron A. Wright, 1966–1973