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July 30, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Money & Work • Energy

ARCO

ARCO is a gasoline station brand in the United States and Mexico.

Updated July 30, 20261 min readCited sources

ARCO is a gasoline station brand in the United States and Mexico. It traces its name to the Atlantic Richfield Company, formed in 1966.

What it is

ARCO is a fuel retail brand, not the former oil company itself. The brand originated from the Atlantic Richfield Company, which was created by the merger of Atlantic Petroleum and Richfield Oil Corporation in 1966. Today, Marathon Petroleum owns the brand in most markets.

Why it matters

ARCO is known for lower-priced gasoline compared with many national brands. Its pricing image comes from cost-cutting measures like cash/debit-only payments and leveraging convenience-store revenue. Marathon states that ARCO fuel meets TOP TIER detergent gasoline standards across all grades.

Key details

BP retains ARCO brand rights in California, Oregon, and Washington after acquiring the original Atlantic Richfield Company in 2000. The brand operates stations in the U.S. and Mexico, with a strong West Coast presence.

In short

  • ARCO is a fuel brand owned by Marathon Petroleum, with BP retaining rights in CA, OR, WA.
  • The ARCO name comes from Atlantic Richfield Company, formed in 1966.
  • ARCO is known for low-priced fuel and cost-saving payment policies.

Quick questions

What is ARCO?
ARCO is a gasoline station brand in the United States and Mexico, owned by Marathon Petroleum. Its name comes from the former Atlantic Richfield Company.
Who owns ARCO?
Marathon Petroleum owns the ARCO brand in most U.S. and Mexico markets. BP controls the brand rights in California, Oregon, and Washington.
Is ARCO gas good quality?
Marathon says ARCO fuel meets TOP TIER detergent gasoline standards across all grades. The brand is more associated with low prices than premium quality.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARCO
    Supports: Brand ownership by Marathon Petroleum, BP rights in some West Coast states, history of the ARCO name, and reputation for low-priced gasoline.
  2. Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/money/Atlantic-Richfield-Company
    Supports: Atlantic Richfield Company as the former American petroleum corporation and its acquisition by BP Amoco in 2000.
  3. Marathon Petroleum Company LP — https://arcoampmfranchisingsouth.com/who-we-are
    Supports: ARCO as one of Marathon's retail brands and its TOP TIER gasoline standard.