​DONALD W. ORR,

Owner/ Geologist​​​

Mr. Orr is a degreed geologist with over 37 years of experience in the fields of oil and gas geology and production operations. His geological expertise spans numerous basins in the lower 48 states primarily in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming.  Mr. Orr has drilled over 250 wells with a success rate exceeding 70%. Additionally, Mr. Orr has worked-over or rejuvenated more than 200 wells as owner and operator. 

Mr. Orr began his career as a junior geologist with Texas Oil and Gas Corporation in 1976.  Within 2 years he was elevated to a supervisory position over 5 geologists on his team, most of whom had 5-10 years’ experience. After 3 years, the company was selling more than 12,000,000 cubic feet of gas per day and 200 bopd from wells drilled at Mr. Orr’s direction. In the late 70’s he helped form an independent oil and gas company called American Shoreline. 

After practicing geology successfully for almost 20 years Mr. Orr made the decision to become more directly involved in and responsible for well operations, field management, and production supervision. Today, as an operator of oil and gas production, Mr. Orr combines his extensive geological knowledge and experience with almost two decades of hands-on well operations and field oversight and management. 

In 2002, Mr. Orr became involved with a relatively new and exciting technology called underbalanced drilling or UBD. Weatherford International is the world leader in underbalanced technology. To maximize his knowledge and experience in this new field Mr. Orr accepted a position with Seven Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Weatherford International in 2005.  While with Seven Energy Mr. Orr pioneered numerous innovations in UBD including drilling with unconventional materials and devising the methodology for unlocking the productive capacity of the Buda Lime through the use of UBD.  This methodology maximizes the oil flow from a horizontal drain hole while eliminating very expensive hydraulic frac technology.

Mr. Orr founded XNP Resources in June 2009 as a Texas limited liability company.  Shortly thereafter, XNP teamed up with Tahoe Energy Partners, LLC to acquire oil and gas leases for drilling in the Rocky Mountain region.  At Mr. Orr’s direction, XNP began by acquiring a strategic leasehold position in the Sand Wash Basin in Colorado and the Powder River Basin of Wyoming.

​​management  team

Michael Martin,

Petroleum Landman

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Mr. Martin is experienced oil and gas landman with 38 years of experience all phases of land acquisition, contract negotiations and preparations, pipeline right-of-ways and gathering system acquisitions, extensive background in oil and gas title examinations, and division of interest title curative specialist.

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Mr. Martin started his career in 1979 as a Junior Landman by negotiating oil and gas leases and title examination and curative work, managed permitting processes, and ensured company activities were industry standard and complied with local, state, and national rules and regulations.  By 1984 Mr. Martin was promoted to VP of Land for an independent oil company, Manitou Exploration Co. Inc., where he managed property acquisitions, negotiated purchase and sale agreements, managed leasing activities.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Martin has worked on behalf of the General Land Office, State of Texas, Highway Department, State of Texas, R. W. Stewart & Associates, Petrohawk, Union Pacific Resources, U. P Fuels and U’ P Highlands, and Duke Energy Services, and Sandridge Oil and Gas.

Mr. Martin attended University of California in 1972 where he majored in Real Estate. He has earned his certification and license with the Texas Real Estate, California Real Estate, and is a Texas Easement or Right of Way Agent.