Petrofina
Former Belgian integrated oil company whose businesses were combined with Total in 1999 to create TotalFina.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Petrofina was a Belgian oil company established in Antwerp on 25 February 1920 as Compagnie Financière Belge des Pétroles. The company adopted the PetroFina name, reflecting its telegraphic address, and developed into one of Belgium's important petroleum groups. Its activities covered the principal segments of the oil industry, including exploration, production, refining, petroleum-product distribution and retail marketing, as well as petrochemicals. The company expanded beyond Belgium through international investments and acquisitions. Its North American presence became particularly significant after the 1956 purchase of the Texas-based Panhandle Oil Company. The American operation, known as American Petrofina or Fina Inc., operated a refinery and a network of branded service stations across parts of the southern and central United States. In 1963, the acquisition of Cosden Oil Company substantially enlarged the American network and added the Big Spring, Texas, refinery. Further growth followed the purchase of BP marketing assets in 1973 and the acquisition of service stations and related assets from Champlin Refining Company in 1984. Fina's American business was marketed through distinctive consumer promotions. The 1961 "Pink Air" campaign offered motorists specially described tire air at Fina stations, while the later "Pflash" campaign presented a gasoline additive in deliberately humorous and imaginative terms. These campaigns helped distinguish Fina in a competitive American fuel market, where major oil companies were using branded gasoline ingredients and memorable advertising slogans. Petrofina also disposed of businesses as its portfolio evolved. In 1981, it sold its eastern Canadian retail operations to the Canadian government; those assets became part of Petro-Canada. The company maintained a visible profile in motorsport through its partnership with BMW Motorsport from 1988 to 1998, supporting touring-car, rally, sports-car and GT programs. In the United States, Fina additionally became a prominent NASCAR sponsor, notably backing Randy LaJoie's Busch Series teams and the cars that won the 1996 and 1997 Busch Series championships. The defining corporate event in Petrofina's later history was its combination with Total S.A. of France in 1999. The resulting group was named TotalFina. TotalFina then merged with Elf in 2000 to become TotalFinaElf. The group later reverted to the Total name and adopted TotalEnergies in 2021. Petrofina therefore ceased to exist as an independent corporate group, although parts of its former businesses and the Fina brand continued for a time under successor ownership. In the United States, the former Fina marketing assets and Big Spring refinery were later associated with Alon USA, while Total retained the Port Arthur refinery and petrochemical interests connected with the former Fina organization.
History
Petrofina originated in Antwerp on 25 February 1920, when Auguste Diagre, Hector Carlier, Fernand Carlier and Aloys Van de Vyvere formed Compagnie Financière Belge des Pétroles. The group subsequently used the PetroFina name, based on its telegraphic address. From its Belgian base, it developed an integrated petroleum business involved in oil exploration and production, refining, distribution, marketing and petrochemicals. International expansion became an important part of the company's development. In 1956, Petrofina entered the United States by acquiring Panhandle Oil Company, a Texas business headquartered in Wichita Falls. The transaction gave the group an oil refinery and a retail gasoline presence in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. The American operation adopted the Fina identity: Panhandle stations began displaying the Fina name in 1958, and the conversion of service stations was carried out from 1959 onward. American Petrofina expanded through further acquisitions. The purchase of Cosden Oil Company from W. R. Grace in 1963 added a large service-station network in Texas and New Mexico and brought the Big Spring, Texas, refinery into the group. In 1973, the US business acquired BP marketing assets, including stations, terminals and jobber contracts, extending Fina's reach into Florida, Georgia and other southeastern states. In 1984, it purchased several thousand service stations from Champlin Refining Company after Champlin closed its Enid, Oklahoma refinery. These transactions made Fina a substantial mid-continent and southern US fuel marketer. The Fina name was supported by highly recognizable marketing. The 1961 Pink Air promotion offered specially described tire air at Fina stations and was presented as a service that helped protect tires. Once that program had reached the company's stations, Fina introduced the Pflash campaign in 1966. Pflash was presented as a gasoline ingredient with fanciful benefits, using humor rather than a literal technical claim as its principal advertising device. The promotions reflected the intense competition among American oil companies to distinguish branded gasoline products. Petrofina also built a reputation through sponsorship. From 1988 through 1998, Fina was BMW Motorsport's principal oil and lubricant partner. The relationship appeared across BMW works programs in European touring cars, rallying, British touring cars, German touring cars, French touring cars, endurance racing and the FIA GT Championship. Fina was also a major NASCAR sponsor in the 1990s. Its best-known association was with Randy LaJoie's Busch Series teams, including the Fina-sponsored Chevrolet entries that won championships in 1996 and 1997. The group adjusted its geographic portfolio during the 1980s. In 1981, it sold its eastern Canadian retail operations to the Canadian government; those activities subsequently became part of Petro-Canada. Petrofina nevertheless retained substantial international refining, marketing and petrochemical interests. The decisive transition came in 1999, when Petrofina merged with Total S.A. to form TotalFina. In 2000, TotalFina combined with Elf and became TotalFinaElf. The successor group later returned to the Total name and adopted TotalEnergies in 2021. Petrofina is consequently a defunct independent company, although successor companies continued to operate assets and businesses that originated within the group. In the United States, the former Fina marketing operations and Big Spring refinery became associated with Alon USA, while the Fina brand was eventually withdrawn from those locations in favor of Alon branding. Total retained the Port Arthur refinery and related petrochemical operations associated with the former Fina business.
- 2012
Former Fina sites transition to Alon
[1]Alon completed the conversion of former Fina retail locations to the Alon gasoline brand.
- 2000
TotalFina combines with Elf
[1]The successor group merged with Elf to form TotalFinaElf.
- 1999
Combination with Total
[1]Petrofina merged with Total S.A. to form TotalFina.
- 1988
BMW Motorsport partnership begins
[1]Fina began a decade-long primary oil and lubricant partnership with BMW Motorsport.
- 1981
Eastern Canadian retail business is sold
[1]Petrofina sold its eastern Canadian retail operations to the Canadian government; the assets became part of Petro-Canada.
- 1963
Cosden acquisition expands American operations
[1]The acquisition of Cosden Oil Company added a major service-station network and the Big Spring, Texas, refinery to American Petrofina.
- 1956
Entry into the United States
[1]Petrofina acquired Texas-based Panhandle Oil Company, gaining a refinery and a gasoline marketing network in the southern and mid-continent United States.
- 1920
Petrofina is established
[1]Compagnie Financière Belge des Pétroles was founded in Antwerp on 25 February by Auguste Diagre, Hector Carlier, Fernand Carlier and Aloys Van de Vyvere. The group later adopted the PetroFina name.
Products and positioning
Former Belgian integrated petroleum group with European roots, international refining and marketing operations, and a particularly visible Fina retail identity in the United States.
Motor fuel · 1958
Fina gasoline
Fina-branded gasoline was the principal consumer-facing product of Petrofina's American retail business. It was sold through service stations acquired from Panhandle, Cosden, BP and Champlin, with marketing built around distinctive product and service promotions such as Pink Air and Pflash.
Refining
Refined petroleum products
Petrofina's refining operations produced gasoline and other petroleum products for wholesale distribution and retail sale. In the United States, the Big Spring refinery was a major asset of the former Fina organization, while other successor interests included the Port Arthur refinery.
Automotive lubricants
Lubricants
Lubricants formed part of Fina's petroleum-product portfolio and were especially visible through the brand's motorsport partnerships, including its long association with BMW Motorsport and support for endurance and touring-car programs.
Petrochemicals
Petrochemicals
Petrofina operated petrochemical activities alongside its upstream, refining and marketing businesses. Petrochemical operations connected with the former Fina organization were retained within successor Total businesses after the corporate combination.
Marketing campaigns
- 1993Randy LaJoie NASCAR sponsorship
United States
Fina became a primary sponsor of Randy LaJoie's Busch Series teams during the 1990s, including the No. 74 Fina Chevrolet program.
Outcome. LaJoie's Fina-backed teams won the Busch Series championships in 1996 and 1997.
- 1988BMW Motorsport partnership
Europe · United States · International motorsport
Fina served as BMW Motorsport's primary oil and lubricant partner across touring-car, rally, endurance and GT programs, including BMW works entries and selected partner teams.
Outcome. The partnership continued through 1998 and gave Fina prominent visibility on BMW racing cars.
- 1966Pflash
United States
Fina replaced Pink Air advertising with Pflash, a humorous campaign centered on an ingredient in its gasoline. Advertisements attributed exaggerated, playful effects to the ingredient, including making driving seem more enjoyable.
Outcome. The campaign included Pflash bumper stickers and became one of the most distinctive elements of Fina's mid-century American marketing.
- 1961Pink Air
United States
Fina promoted complimentary tire air described as Pink Air at its American service stations. The campaign used the unusual color and the claimed tire-preservation benefit to differentiate Fina stations from competing fuel retailers.
Outcome. The program was promoted during Fina's US expansion and was intended to reach the company's full station network by 1966.
Brand decisions
2012
Replacement of the Fina retail brand in the United StatesStrategyBackground
Alon USA operated former Fina marketing assets under a time-limited arrangement that permitted continued use of the Fina name in specified states.
Action taken
Alon chose not to extend the arrangement and converted its former Fina retail locations to the Alon brand.
Aftermath
The conversion was completed by the end of 2012, ending the Fina identity at those Alon-operated retail locations.
1999
Merger with TotalM&ABackground
Petrofina entered a corporate combination with French oil company Total S.A. as part of the consolidation of the international petroleum industry.
Action taken
The two companies merged to create TotalFina, ending Petrofina's status as an independent company.
Aftermath
TotalFina merged with Elf in 2000 to become TotalFinaElf, later returning to the Total name and adopting TotalEnergies in 2021.
1981
Exit from eastern Canadian retailingStrategyBackground
Petrofina reviewed its geographic retail portfolio and sold its eastern Canadian retail operations to the Canadian government.
Action taken
The Canadian retail assets were transferred to the government and subsequently became part of Petro-Canada.
Aftermath
Petrofina reduced its direct presence in eastern Canadian retailing while continuing its broader international petroleum activities.
Sources1 sources
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