Protégé Energy was founded in May 2004 and incorporated as a Delaware Limited Liability Company by Martin Thalken and his management team. Through a financial partnership with EnCap Investments, the company employed an “acquire and exploit” strategy by making a series of strategic acquisitions in our core areas and then enhancing value through the drill bit.

Protégé Energy I core areas were the Anadarko and Arkoma basins in the Texas Panhandle and Oklahoma. Through a combination of strategic acquisitions and development drilling, Protégé I grew its production to 3 Mmcfed and proved reserves to 100 bcfe by Mid 2008. Notable reservoir targets included the Granite Wash in the Texas Panhandle and the Woodford Shale in Eastern Oklahoma. In 2008, Protégé I sold the majority of its assets in several transactions to Newfield, Forest Oil, and EV Energy Partners.

Prior to the sale of Protégé Energy I, the management team and EnCap elected to form Protégé Energy II LLC to continue the same strategy proven successful through Protégé I.