Under Ward's leadership, the company has grown significantly while leading the Mississippi Lime play in Oklahoma, one of the highest-return oil and liquids plays in the U.S. In addition, the company has IPO'd three royalty trusts and created two JVs with international companies to fund more drilling.

In July 2011, Chesapeake unveiled its significant Utica presence. Good well results and a joint venture with Total followed. Majors and large independents have also entered the play, which compares favorably to the Eagle Ford shale. Nearly 70 horizontal wells have been drilled so far in this growing oil and gas play.

For its sale to BHP Billiton Petroleum Ltd. for $15 billion, capping a seven-year run of savvy acquisitions, drilling, and portfolio management focused on emerging shale plays such as the Haynesville and Eagle Ford.

For its work in nine fields in the shallow-water Gulf of Mexico. It acquired these assets for $1 billion from ExxonMobil in late 2010. Throughout 2011, via workovers and new drilling, it steadily increased production and has uncovered many more prospects to drill. This has vaulted Energy XXI to third place among the top oil producers on the Gulf of Mexico shelf, with interests in seven of the top 11 oil fields.

For its many community and sustainability programs, including the Apache Foundation's Trees campaign. Since 2005, the company has donated more than 2 million trees to 218 nonprofit and community groups in 14 states. Its goal is to give away 3 million. Most recently, Apache joined with the Memorial Park Conservancy in Houston to fast-forward a 2010 plan to plant thousands of trees in the city's largest park.

After emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2010, (paying 100 cents on the dollar owed) Saratoga, under Chairman and CEO Thomas Cooke, has regained momentum. Its stock has risen to nearly $7 from about $2, increasing the market cap tenfold since emerging from bankruptcy. Its 2011 reserve replacement was 200 percent. Production reached a new high of 4,000 BOE per day, all in Louisiana state waters. Shareholders' equity rose to $42 million at year-end 2011, up from a deficit of $4.1 million at Dec. 31, 2010. Also last year, the company raised $35 million of equity in common stock and warrants, and $127.5 million in senior secured notes.

The company issued common stock and senior notes during 2011, enabling Kodiak to make a nearly $1-billion acquisition in the Bakken shale, doubling the size of the company, creating double-digit production growth, and positioning it for further growth.