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]
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 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]
