J-W Energy Company
| File:JW-logo.PNG | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Petroleum industry |
| Founded | November 10, 1960 |
| Headquarters | , United States |
Key people | H.G. Westerman (Chief Executive Officer) David Miller (President) |
| Products | Natural gas |
| Website | www |
J-W Operating Company was established on November 10, 1960, by Thomas Jeffrey and Howard G. Westerman. The origin of the company traces back to two water flood units located in Arkansas, where the owners, unable to reach operational consensus, appointed Westerman as the manager. Financial backing from Dr. Ralph Connell facilitated the company's launch, marking J-W’s initial venture into contract operations.
The company’s early projects involved drilling brine wells and constructing a gathering system for a nearby bromine facility. After Jeffrey departed in 1962 to return to consulting, Westerman assumed full ownership and the role of CEO. Under his leadership, J-W secured various patents and trademarks, notably the "Superburn" compressor, which incorporated a two-cycle stratified engine design.
By owning and managing pipelines and compressor units, J-W expanded its activities into oil and gas exploration and production, achieving significant discoveries in Northeast Colorado and Northern Louisiana. In 1983, Cohort Energy Company was created to oversee these exploration and production operations. The late 1980s marked diversification efforts with ventures into power generation using landfill gas. Throughout the 1990s, the company pursued an assertive growth plan by recruiting professional managers aimed at doubling its scale.
In September 2010, the organization underwent restructuring and rebranding to become J-W Energy Company, reflecting its broadened range of services.
Gas Compression - Sales, Service and Leasing
Formally incorporated on August 19, 1988, J-W Power Company has been leasing compressor packages since 1966 as part of its parent entity, J-W Operating Company. The initial equipment predominantly consisted of slow-speed integral compressors supplied by Ajax. With Ariel Corporation’s introduction of high-speed separable compressors, J-W Power emerged as an early packager of these units and currently relies extensively on Ariel compressors within its leasing portfolio.
The first compressor package built by J-W Power was completed in May 1976—a model Ariel JGM/2 powered by a Witte engine—assembled in a modest facility located in Longview, Texas. To foster further innovation in gas compressor packaging, founder Mr. Westerman inaugurated a larger manufacturing site near Longview in January 1978 that remains operational today. Over time, the company has obtained numerous patents and trademarks related to compressor technology, including pioneering oil-flooded rotary screws (1978) and the patented two-stroke stratified "Superburn" engine (1986).
J-W Power’s expansion strategy emphasizes organic growth complemented by targeted acquisitions within core markets. Its operations include leasing, servicing, fabricating, and selling natural gas compression equipment.
Compressed Natural Gas
J-W Power entered the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) sector in January 1994 with its inaugural compressor package specifically designed for this application. Produced at the Longview facility, early shipments were delivered to clients in Liberal and Hugoton, Kansas; Sonora, Texas; and Saint John, British Columbia. Building on this foundation of expertise, J-W Power has established itself as a leading provider of engineered CNG compression systems, having constructed more than 50,000 horsepower of CNG compression capacity since its inception. Additionally, the company offers full-spectrum engineering, manufacturing, procurement, and installation services for CNG fueling infrastructure—including fabrication of CNG storage spheres.