Western Company of North America

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The Western Company of North America (1939-1995) was a petroleum industry services company formerly based in Texas. [1] It was one of the pioneers of the "acidizing process", [1] [2] a method of improving the flow from natural gas and oil wells. [2]

Contents

History

In 1939, after working as a Sales Engineer with Reed Roller Bit Company in Houston, Eddie Chiles founded the Western Company of North America in Fort Worth, Texas. [2] He started the company with two trucks and three employees. [3] [4] Western served the petroleum industry with technical services required in the discovery and production of oil and gas. [4]

The company grew to become a major oil services firm, primarily in acidizing, fracturing, and cementing. [2] At its peak, the Western Company had over 5,000 employees and annual worldwide revenues of over $500 million. [4] Western also featured an innovative television campaign with commercials telling viewers "If you don't have an oil well, get one—you'll love doing business with Western!" [5]

The Western Company also operated an offshore drilling company, run by Chiles' brother, during the 1970s. [2] The offshore drilling company was sold to Noble Drilling in 1991.[ citation needed ]

The Western Company moved from Fort Worth to Houston in 1990. [6] The company featured an innovative oil museum open to the public on the first floor of their office building in Fort Worth, which was moved to Beaumont, Texas.[ citation needed ]

The Western Company of North America was sold to BJ Services in 1995. The founder of the company, Eddie Chiles, [3] died on August 22 1993 in Fort Worth. [4]

References

  1. 1 2 "Western Oceanic secures two longterm international rig contracts". United Press International . January 9, 1991. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Chiles, Harrell Edmund (1980). "Oral History Interview with Harrell Edmund Chiles, 1980". Business Archives Project (Interview). Interviewed by J. B. Smallwood. Denton, Texas: University of North Texas. pp. 27, 35, 36, 71. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  3. 1 2 Strong, W.F. (March 9, 2016). "I'm Mad, Too, Eddie!". Texas Standard . Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Thomas Jr., Robert Mcg. (August 24, 1993). "Eddie Chiles, Ex-Baseball Owner And Oil Executive, Is Dead at 83" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  5. ↑ "The Foote Files: 40 Years Of Rangers Baseball". CBS News . April 12, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Western may split into two companies". United Press International . June 8, 1990. Retrieved November 13, 2025.

See also

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