Was it legal?Big oil bought small refineries,scraped them to restrict availability controling the price?

I know of one company for certain ';Camino Oil Refinery'; distributed as Beacon gasoline in my hometown of Hanford, California. The small gas companies kept the Big Boys in line by being willing to accept a small margin of profit. Buying out and/or driving out of business the competion, doesn't that create a monopoly? Aren't monopolies supposed to be closely controlled by our leaders we placed there to protect and guide us? Is what big oil did and are doing legal?Was it legal?Big oil bought small refineries,scraped them to restrict availability controling the price?
The many purchase of small refineries and mergers of large corporations have been very carefully controlled by the Federal Trade Commission. In at least one case, in Bakersfield, California, Shell Oil was very hotly disputed, and has, I believe, been blocked. The first link below refers to that particular situation.





The short answer to your questions are 1) it's not only big oil that has been closing down refineries; many independents have done so as well, and 2) yes, it's legal.





The other links provide more information around your question in general.Was it legal?Big oil bought small refineries,scraped them to restrict availability controling the price?
If there was an anti-trust violation the Federal Trade Commission would be responsible for enforcing it.


However, I'm sure you'll find that big oil companies buy small stations all the time and yet there is never an anti-trust finding.


In some states there are laws preventing gas from being sold at too small a markup.


This is intended to keep mom and pop stations in business by not allowing the big boys to undercut on price long enough to drive out the competitors then jacking it back up once they are all gone.


I'd be California has a similar law.