About Us

About Stephenson Oil Co Inc

Arkansas' Most Dependable Fuel and Oil Provider

Our Origins

In 1951, A.P. Stephenson, better know as Steve, started his own oil company in Heber Springs, Arkansas. The A.P. Stephenson Oil Company delivered nearly 500,000 gallons of fuel a year in those early days as a Mobil Oil consignee. Growing up in the fuel and oil industry prompted Lee, Steve’s son, to venture out on his own. Lee moved to Searcy in 1971 to open Stephenson Oil Company after buying out the local Mobil consignee. Within a decade, Lee bought out two competitors and switched his customer base to Gulf Oil.


After Steve became ill and passed away in 1985, Lee managed both companies, which he merged into what operates today as the Stephenson Oil Company. In the late 80s, Chevron bought out Gulf Oil, so the company switched brands. Stephenson Oil sold Chevron fuel and oil products for many years until the early 1990s when Lee moved his contract to an up-and-coming oil company known as Citgo. In 1991, Lee bought out a Citgo bulk plant in Clinton. At that point, he was the sole operator of bulk plants in Heber Springs, Searcy and Clinton. He added a plant in Newport to the list after buying out an Exxon distributor.

Present Day

As the third generation to operate the family business, Terry Stephenson has experience in every aspect of the Stephenson Oil. In his younger years, he could be found washing trucks and driving tractor-trailers. More recently, Terry has served on the Board of Directors and serves as Stephenson Oil’s President, where he also manages the plant.


The family business also includes Cliff Childers, who is married to Terry’s sister Lee Ann. Cliff oversees the daily operations of the original Stephenson Oil plant in Heber Springs. Additionally, he serves as the financial officer for the company.


Stephenson Oil maintains contracts with Citgo and Mobil Oil, as well as six smaller contracts with unbranded fuel suppliers. Between the main office and plant in Searcy, as well as locations in Heber Springs, Clinton and Newport, Stephenson Oil serves North-Central Arkansas with fuel, oils and specialty products.

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