Antar (company)
Encyclopedia
Antar is a former petroleum
company, founded by Pechelbronn SA in 1927 in Merkwiller-Pechelbronn
, Bas-Rhin
, Alsace
. However, its origins go back to 1745 when a company was formed to develop the natural oil wells in the vicinity of Merkwiller-Pechelbronn. Prior to World War II it also used the brand Socaline for petrol. After the purchase of another domestic French marketer, the formal name changed to Antar Pétroles de l'Atlantique and the Antar name extended to use on fuels. Antar was largely active in France, although an affiliate had a Swiss joint venture (Socal Fina). The name was apparently chosen at a party after Rimsky-Korsakov's Antar Symphony.
In 1976 Elf-ERAP merged with Antar to form the Société National Elf Aquitaine
which with over 6,000 outlets became France's second largest petrol retailer. In 2000 Elf was purchased by TotalFina (now Total S.A.
). The Antar name survives on Antargaz, one of France's leading brands of bottled LPG, which was sold to a unit of Paribas after the TotalFina-Elf merger to satisfy the European Commission's anti-trust concerns, and in 2004 became a wholly owned subsidiary of UGI Corporation
.
The only French museum dedicated to the oil industry is located in Merkwiller-Pechelbronn and has resources devoted to Antar.
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
company, founded by Pechelbronn SA in 1927 in Merkwiller-Pechelbronn
Merkwiller-Pechelbronn
Merkwiller-Pechelbronn is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.It is notable as the original home of oil sands mining....
, Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin is a department of France. The name means "Lower Rhine". It is the more populous and densely populated of the two departments of the Alsace region, with 1,079,013 inhabitants in 2006.- History :...
, Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
. However, its origins go back to 1745 when a company was formed to develop the natural oil wells in the vicinity of Merkwiller-Pechelbronn. Prior to World War II it also used the brand Socaline for petrol. After the purchase of another domestic French marketer, the formal name changed to Antar Pétroles de l'Atlantique and the Antar name extended to use on fuels. Antar was largely active in France, although an affiliate had a Swiss joint venture (Socal Fina). The name was apparently chosen at a party after Rimsky-Korsakov's Antar Symphony.
In 1976 Elf-ERAP merged with Antar to form the Société National Elf Aquitaine
Elf Aquitaine
Elf Aquitaine was a French oil company which merged with TotalFina to form TotalFinaElf. The new company changed its name to Total in 2003...
which with over 6,000 outlets became France's second largest petrol retailer. In 2000 Elf was purchased by TotalFina (now Total S.A.
Total S.A.
Total S.A. is a French multinational oil company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world.Its businesses cover the entire oil and gas chain, from crude oil and natural gas exploration and production to power generation, transportation, refining, petroleum product marketing, and...
). The Antar name survives on Antargaz, one of France's leading brands of bottled LPG, which was sold to a unit of Paribas after the TotalFina-Elf merger to satisfy the European Commission's anti-trust concerns, and in 2004 became a wholly owned subsidiary of UGI Corporation
UGI Corporation
UGI Corporation is a public utility holding company with a variety of assets based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.-History:UGI was incorporated in 1882 as United Gas Improvement Co. It encouraged the formation of United Electric Company of New Jersey in 1899...
.
The only French museum dedicated to the oil industry is located in Merkwiller-Pechelbronn and has resources devoted to Antar.
External links
- Musée Français du Pétrole (French Petroleum Museum)
- PetrolMaps website
- Total corporate website
- Antargaz website