 The refinery was commissioned in 1956 and Getty Oil operated it up until 1984, when Texaco bought Getty.In 1988, Star Enterprises, a company started when Saudi Aramco bought half interest, took over the refinery until 1998, when Motiva Enterprises, a joint venture between Star (Saudi Aramco) and Shell, operated it.Motiva's operation was the most controversial, with many lawsuits resulting from an explosion and many federal emission regulations violations.