MARTINEZ — The owners of the Shell Martinez Refinery are in talks with at least two potential buyers of the 102-year-old facility, several months after the first news reports of the refinery’s possible sale, according to the London-based news service Reuters.

Netherlands-based Royal Dutch Shell, which has sold refineries in Bakersfield and Wilmington over the past 15 years, is reported to be talking with PBF Energy, a New Jersey-based company which operates refineries in that state and others in Torrance (Los Angeles County), Delaware, Louisiana and Ohio; and Los Angeles-based NTR Partners III LLC. The Martinez refinery is now Shell’s only such facility in California.

Published reports last year said the sale talk has been driven largely by an expected long-term rise in crude oil prices and the relatively high costs of doing business in California, including adherence to state environmental regulations.

Thursday’s Reuters story quoted sources familiar with Shell operations who said the 158,000-barrel-a-day Martinez refinery could fetch as much as $900 million. The potential sale, they said, would include a pipeline that brings San Joaquin Valley crude straight to the refinery.

Shell spokesman Ray Fisher in Houston did not return a phone message or an email Friday for comment.

The Martinez refinery, which employs about 700 people, produces gasoline, jet fuel, diesel fuel, petroleum coke, industrial fuel oils, liquefied petroleum gas, asphalt and sulfur. It has a “coker” unit for processing heavy crude.

Reuters reported Thursday that Shell, Europe’s largest oil company, could sell $30 billion worth of assets to enable paydown of debt following its $54 billion purchase of smaller British rival BG Group in 2016. The company already has sold properties “from Thailand to the North Sea” of England to raise money, the news agency reported.

The refinery has enjoyed a generally positive relationship with the city of Martinez over the years, and has long been visible as part of community events. City leaders have said they’re wary of Shell’s potential sale; even if the jobs remain, they say, it isn’t certain a successor company would be such a good neighbor.

“Shell’s been wonderful about being able to engage with the community,” said City Councilwoman Debbie McKillop. “I am a bit concerned about what kind of changes would be in place with a sale.”

Shell officials have acknowledged to city leaders the stories about a refinery sale, McKillop and City Manager Brad Kilger said Friday, but haven’t been offering regular updates.

“Nothing’s changed for us since at least October,” Kilger said. “I haven’t heard anything new.”