Texas Oil & Gas Association - 1917

TXOGA: Mid-Continental Oil & Gas Association 1917

The Texas Oil and Gas Association – TXOGA - came about as a result of the excellent work that the initial founders of the organization did upon its inception on October13, 1917. At a meeting that was originally held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the United States was engaged in fighting World War I, and one of the principle, main purposes behind the Association’s formation was to provide essential supplies of petroleum and petroleum products (gasoline, diesel, paint, aircraft fuel, bunker fuel for ships) to the armed forces of the United States and its allies. As one member put it, we were going to do what was necessary to allow our country …. “to float to victory upon a wave of oil." TXOGA’s predecessor Mid-Continent’s contribution to that success of the U.S. victor helped establish it as an association in which individuals working cooperatively could resolve mutual problems and achieve major results for the betterment of the national petroleum industry and meeting the needs and ultimate safety of the United States and its allies.

That initial meeting that took place in 1917 had representatives from oil producers, casinghead gasoline producers, supply companies, refiners, as well as other segments of the petroleum industry. Frank Haskell of Tidal Oil Company was the first president of the association, and J. H. Evans of Devonian Oil Company was elected the first vice-president. The first office of Mid-Continental Oil and Gas Association (soon to be the TXOGA in 1997 was established in Tulsa, Oklahoma in November 1917.