Norco

Hidden within Louisiana’s industrial corridor lies Norco. It’s a town whose name whispers its origins – the New Orleans Refining Company. Norco isn’t just a dot on the map. It’s a testament to a century of interwoven history with the petrochemical industry. A maze of pipelines, silver and white, isn’t an intrusion here. It’s a visual representation of the symbiotic relationship between Norco and its industrial heart. Norco wasn’t always an industrial hub. It began as a patchwork of rice, indigo, and sugarcane fields, part of the Goodhope Plantation. In 1916, the New Orleans Refining Company arrived, transforming the landscape and the community’s destiny. An oil terminal emerged, laying the groundwork for Norco’s future as a vital point in the oil trade. Shell’s acquisition of the refinery in 1929 solidified this partnership. The community grew, literally, around Shell and Motiva. The relationship wasn’t always smooth. The explosions of 1973 and 1988 left scars, physical and emotional, on Norco. The 1973 explosion, sparked by a lawnmower near a leaking pipeline, tragically claimed the lives of 16-year-old Leroy Jones and Helen Washington. The 1988 explosion at the catalytic cracking unit reverberated for miles, killing seven Shell workers and sending a cloud of toxic chemicals into the air. These events spurred the formation of the Concerned Citizens of Norco, a group dedicated to dialogue and change with Shell. Despite the hardships, Norco perseveres. The Shell Norco Manufacturing Complex has invested millions in modernizing its equipment. The “heart of the refinery,” the catalytic cracker, has been revitalized, a symbol of Norco’s commitment to its future. The community also benefits from Shell’s investments through the Shell Norco endowment foundation and community funds, which have provided millions in grants to local organizations. Norco, a town named for an oil company, is more than just its industry. It’s a community with a deep-rooted history, a resilient spirit, and an unwavering commitment to its future. It’s a place where industry and community have, despite challenges, found a way to coexist and, in many ways, thrive together.