Company History
CICO Oil & Gas Company, a Texas Corporation, is a third-generation, family owned and operated, independent oil and gas company that can trace its roots back to the boom days of the East Texas Field in the 1920’s. CICO was formed as an exploration and production company by Dale C. Cheesman, Jr. and his father, Dale C. Cheesman, Sr., in January of 1963. Prior to that, they were independent oil and gas operators under the name of D.C. Cheesman & Son. Mr. Cheesman, Sr., who started out as a landman for Roxanna Oil Company (Shell) in the East Texas Field, was a pioneer in the oil and gas industry and is mentioned in several books depicting the history of the industry. At the time of his death in 1971, Mr. Cheesman Sr. had been actively engaged in exploration and production in Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana for over fifty years. Mr. Cheesman Jr. continued to run the company through 2000.
In 1982, after graduating from the University of Texas, Dale C. Cheesman III joined the company, making it again a father/son operation. Together they continued to put quality oil and gas prospects together and drilled them with their investors. Today, the company is still owned and managed by Dale C. Cheesman III (President) and Dale C. Cheesman, Jr. (CEO). Recently, Lolly Cheesman (daughter of Dale Jr. and sister of Dale III) joined the company to help out in the marketing of CICO's prospects. In addition to the Cheesmans, CICO has always maintained a full staff of professionals including engineers, geologist, landmen and accounting and operational personnel.
The company has continued to experience good growth since its inception. Through in-house generated and submitted prospects, CICO has discovered many oil and gas fields in Texas including the Barry-Balfour Field, North Balfour Field, East Mooney Field, Catarina Field, Hope Field, Brookeland Field, Christensen Field and South True Field to name a few. CICO has also successfully completed many wells in or near existing fields like Welder Field, Giddings Field, Gillock Field, Salona Field, Sublime Field, Old Buzzard, and Katz Slick Field. Although CICO has drilled many wells in all corners of the state, it mostly focuses on on-shore gas trends in the gulf coast area of the state of Texas. Since 1972 CICO has drilled over 250 wells with an average success rate of 61%.
CICO has long enjoyed a good reputation in the oil and gas industry of being a prudent, fair, honest and successful operator. CICO is fully staffed with experienced professionals and is capable of generating, evaluating, leasing, acquiring, drilling and operating any oil and gas prospect.