Doing business the right way for more than 100 years.
Formed in 1908, we are an independent exploration and production company who has been doing business the right way for more than 100 years. Learn more about our history.
2023
SM Energy Company announces a 20% increase in the fixed dividend policy, with the intention to pay $0.72 per share annually, beginning 1Q24.
Midland Basin acreage increased by 29,700 net acres, or 37%, to approximately 111,000 net acres.
2022
SM Energy Company announces a program to return capital to shareholders including share repurchase authorization of up to $500 million through year-end 2024 and an increased fixed dividend of $0.60 per share annually.
2020
Herb Vogel succeeds Jay Ottoson as CEO.
Successful exploration and delineation of the Austin Chalk leads to an estimated 400 high-return drilling locations at the company's South Texas asset.
2017
SM Energy Company created significant value by continuing to shift its focus to the Midland Basin, growing production from those assets by 165%.
The company sold third party operated assets in the Eagle Ford.
2016
SM Energy Company executed acquisitions in the Permian Basin and sold assets in the Bakken.
The company closed its regional office in Billings, Montana in November.
2015
After joining the Board of Directors in 2014, Jay Ottoson succeeds Tony Best as CEO.
The company closed its regional office in Tulsa, Oklahoma in July.
In October, SM Energy Company opened a field office in Williston, North Dakota.
2010
The company changed its name to SM Energy Company, which is the name the company operates under today.
2009
St. Mary Land & Exploration Company executed multiple acquisitions, resulting in the company's entrance into the Maverick Basin. This acquisition exposed the company to the Eagle Ford play providing a platform for significant company growth.
2007
Tony Best Succeeds Mark Hellerstein as CEO and joins the Board of Directors.
The company opened a regional office in Midland, Texas to manage Midland Basin properties.
2004
The company opened a regional office in Houston, Texas.
2002
St. Mary Land & Exploration Company transferred its public listing from the NASDAQ to the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker SM.
1999
The company opened a regional office in Billings, Montana after completing the acquisition of Nance Petroleum.
1995
Mark Hellerstein succeeded Tom Congdon as CEO in May of 1995. Mr. Congdon continued as chairman of the company’s board of directors until 2002.
The company opened a regional office in Tulsa, Oklahoma after acquiring the remaining portion of the Anderman/Smith investment initiated in 1978 and continues to manage company assets in plays such as Haynesville and Woodford.
1994
St. Mary Land & Exploration Company purchased just over 30,000 acres in the Permian Basin and made its entrance into the Ward Estes field of West Texas.
1992
The company changed its name to St. Mary Land & Exploration Company on October 13, 1992, and shortly thereafter, went public on the NASDAQ exchange with the ticker symbol MARY.
The company opened its first regional office in Shreveport, LA after acquiring the oil and gas division of T.L. James.
1991
St. Mary Parish Land Company entered the Williston Basin in Montana and North Dakota through a partnership with Nance Petroleum.
1978
St. Mary Parish Land Company entered the Anadarko Basin of Oklahoma with the company's investment into the Anderman/Smith Operating Company.
1966
St. Mary Parish Land Company moved their offices from Duluth, Minnesota to Denver, Colorado, where the company headquarters resides today.
Tom Congdon, grandson to the original founder, Chester Congdon, was elected President of the Company.
1961
Oryx Oil Company obtained four leases from St. Mary Parish Land Company in Belle Isle, and after drilling a successful test well, stated in its company publication in 1961, "...oil and gas accumulations have been proven in multiple, complexly-faulted sand reservoirs from 3,000 feet to below 17,000 feet to make Belle Isle one of the major hydrocarbon reserves in the Gulf Coast."
1955
St. Mary Parish Land Company leased acreage to Sun Oil Company. Sun Oil Company drilled a successful test well on company lands in February of 1955.
1941
The Atlantic Company leased just under 4,000 acres on the Bayou Sale portion of St. Mary Parish Land Company's acreage and subsequently drilled a successful well at a depth of 10,310 feet. Continued success with early wells launched St. Mary Parish Land Company into additional leasing and exploration efforts across the company's acreage identifying economic returns in fields such as Belle Isle, Wax Lake and Goat Island.
1938
St. Mary Parish Land Company leased acreage to Texaco in Horseshoe Bayou. Texaco completed the first successful oil well at a depth of 9,910 feet, producing 335 barrels per day. This discovery established St. Mary Parish Land Company’s entrance into the oil and gas exploration business.
1933
St. Mary Parish Land Company consolidated with Tidal Wave Land Company, thereby increasing the company's land holdings by an additional 7,200 acres. Tidal Wave was owned by Chester Congdon and David Adams, two of the original investors in St. Mary Parish Land Company.
1930
After a positive report was issued to the company from well known geologist Alexander Deussen, St. Mary Parish Land Company [global] began granting exploration rights and options to lease portions of the acreage. Pure Oil leased just over 7,500 acres and drilled a test well near Horseshoe Bayou to a depth of 5,900 feet. The well was abandoned as a dry hole leading to eventual lease expiration.
1915
St. Mary Parish Land Company dissolved as a Minnesota corporation and incorporated as a Delaware corporation in early 1915 to provide more flexibility with the corporate structure.
1908
St. Mary Parish Land Company was founded as a Minnesota corporation on April 15, 1908.
The investor group acquired the land in hopes of success in a variety of potential opportunities, such as salt mining, oil production, agriculture, livestock grazing, and trapping.
1900
Chester Congdon and associates acquired 17,800 acres is St. Mary Parish, LA for $11,000.
The company continues to own the property today, which is primarily marsh land located near the Gulf of Mexico and is bounded on the west by East Cote Blanche Bay and on the south by Atchafalaya Bay.