Chevron Richmond Refinery

The Chevron Richmond Refinery is a 2,900acre petroleum refinery in Richmond, California, on San Francisco Bay. It is owned and operated by Chevron Corporation and employs more than 1,200 workers, making it the city's largest employer. The refinery processes approximately 240000oilbbl of crude oil a day in the manufacture of petroleum products and other chemicals. The refinery's primary products are motor gasoline, jet fuel, diesel fuel and lubricants.HistoryBeginningsThe refinery was established several years before the City of Richmond was incorporated in 1905. Construction on the refinery began in 1901 between the Potrero Hills and the marshlands in the Point Richmond District; the refinery was opened in 1902. The refinery was built by Standard Oil and its first headquarters was in an abandoned farm house at the former site of the Peters and Silva Farms. The complex was described as "colossal" at the time and to this day it remains a very large complex of its kind. In its first year of operation the plant could process 10000oilbbl of oil per day and had a tankage capacity of 185000oilbbl in that same first year. William Rheem played a key role in the facility's construction and implementation, being the project manager and the installation's first superintendent. Furthermore, Rheem continued on to be a key and historic civic figure in the City of Richmond. The presence of the burgeoning refinery transformed the small town of Richmond from a rural agricultural community with 200 residents to a company town of several thousand within a few years.