Shell’s History in Louisiana
Shell is deeply invested in the communities where we operate. Our employees live here, work here and volunteer here - making us a vital part of a resilient and vibrant New Orleans and Louisiana community. The partnership between Shell and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Presented by Shell began in 2006 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina when Shell stepped up as the event sponsor to ensure the survival of the city’s signature cultural celebration.
1916 NORCO
The New Orleans Refining Company purchased 366 acres of sugar cane fields from the Good Hope Plantation in Louisiana to establish a marine petroleum supply terminal.
1919 Shell Pipeline Company
Shell Pipeline has helped meet America’s energy needs for 95 years. Shell Pipeline operates an extensive onshore network of crude oil, refined products and chemical pipeline systems in the Gulf Coast Area stretching from Houston to New Orleans.
1929 – NORCO
Shell acquires the Norco refinery in 1929. In 1955, a nearby chemical plant was added, significantly enhancing the overall production and business scope of the refinery
1946 – Seismic Surveys
Shell launches its first offshore seismic survey from Grand Isle, LA, exploring for oil and gas deposits in the shallow waters off the coast of Louisiana.
1954
Shell moves its New Orleans offices to a building adjacent to the famous Roosevelt Hotel.
1965 – Geismar Chemical
Shell announced the purchase of the Geismar site and began operations in 1967
1967 – Convent
The Convent Refinery began operations as a Texaco refinery. Today the site has approximately 700 full-time employees and nearly 500 contractors.
1972 – One Shell Square
The tallest building in New Orleans. This was built in the mid-seventies and is 51 stories tall.
1978 – Cognac
Shell brought the Cognac oil and gas field into production in 1,025 feet of water in the Gulf of Mexico. Cognac was deeper than any previous offshore discovery, and held that record for ten years. To develop this field, the company designed and built the world's tallest and heaviest drilling and production platform.
1988 – Bullwinkle
In 1988, in a world record 1,350 feet of water, Shell installed the Bullwinkle platform in the Gulf of Mexico.
1994 – First Tension Leg Platform
Auger was the world’s first tension leg platform (TLP) that had both a permanent drilling rig and full-fledged production facilities. It was installed in the Gulf of Mexico in 1994 at a then world water depth record of 2,860 feet. Auger’s structure is basically a floating hull that supports a five-story deck over an area the size of two football fields.
1996 – Mars Project
The Mars platform was installed in 2,940 feet of water, surpassing the previous depth record for the Gulf of Mexico established by Shell's Auger Tension Leg Platform. Mars was the largest oil and gas discovery in the Gulf of Mexico in two decades.
1998 – Shell Marine Habitat Program
In 1998, Shell established the Shell Marine Habitat Program with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to support on-the-ground restoration and protection strategies that improve targeted fish & wildlife species along the Gulf Coast, expanded to include Long Island Sound, Alaska and Puget Sound.
2002- NORCO
In 2002, Motiva Enterprises became a 50/50 joint venture between Shell and Saudi Aramco.
2006 – Shell Returns to One Shell Square
“Shell is Home” campaign signals the return of Shell employees to One Shell Square, and signals our commitment to the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana.
2006 – Shell Sponsors the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
Shell becomes the presenting sponsor of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival as part of the Katrina-recovery effort.
2010 - Perdido
Shell’s Perdido spar starts up, becoming Shell’s deepest host in the Gulf of Mexico, setting record well-depths as well.
2010 – Gulf of Mexico Response Project
Shell initiated the Gulf Incident Response Project in response to the Deepwater Horizon accident. Implemented during the summer of 2010, it focused on volunteer and community needs in the Gulf region – both with dollars and human capital, starting with a Day of Service in the region.
2013 – Extension of Building Conservation Habitat Trust Support
In October 2013, the Coastal Conservation Association and Shell Oil Company announced an extension of their unique partnership that has already produced more than a dozen significant marine habitat restoration projects.
2015 – Geismar Expansion
In November 2015, Shell announced Final Investment Decision (FID) to increase Alpha Olefins (AO) production at Geismar, making the site the largest AO producer in the world. Construction started in 2016.
2015 – Appomattox
In July 2015, Shell announced Final Investment Decision (FID) on the Appomattox deep-water development in the Gulf of Mexico.
2015 – Shell Midstream Partners
Shell Midstream Partners is a fee-based, growth-oriented master limited partnership formed by Shell to own, develop and acquire pipelines and other midstream assets.
2016 – Stones Arrives in the Gulf of Mexico
In January 2016, the Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel for the Stones development arrived in the Gulf of Mexico.
In 2017, Shell and Saudi Aramco ended the Motiva Enterprises joint venture.
The Convent and Norco Refineries joined Shell`s Downstream business as fully owned Shell assets.
The Convent and Norco Refineries joined Shell`s Downstream business as fully owned Shell assets.
More in Sustainability
Energize Your Future with Shell
Efficient, environmentally friendly ways to meet society's energy demands, and to finding qualified people to get the job done.
Shell in the Community
Shell takes pride in the communities where we live and work.
You may also be interested in
Careers in the United States
Explore opportunities to take your career to the next level. Whether you are a student, a graduate or an experienced professional, discover the impact you could make with a career at Shell.
Life at Shell
Meet the pioneers, innovators, adventurers and explorers of Shell.