Warren Petroleum Co. founder W.K. Warren, a pioneer in marketing and shipping LPG, died June 11 in Tulsa at the age of 92.
Warren founded the Tulsa company in 1922 after resigning as assistant to Gilliland Oil Co. Vice Pres. Patrick Hurley. Warren Petroleum was the first firm to mainly market LPG. By 1926 it operated 31 gas processing plants in five states.
In 1930, Warren Petroleum acquired the U.S. gasoline production of Amerada Petroleum Corp., and 4 years later the company controlled 11.6% of the U.S. LPG market and 16.1% of the gas market. It bought Hanlon Cos. in 1946 and Devonian Oil Co. in 1947.
Gulf Oil Corp. acquired Warren Petroleum in 1956. After Chevron Corp. acquired Gulf in 1984, Warren Petroleum became a Chevron division.
Warren also founded Transwestern Pipeline Co. in 1959 to give his firm entry into the California gas market. He retired in 1961 but remained director emeritus of Warren Petroleum until 1972.
He served as president of the International Petroleum Exposition in 1966.
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