The petroleum industry lost a charismatic leader, a passionate advocate, and a dealmaker extraordinaire when Aubrey K. McClendon died in a tragic auto accident in Oklahoma City this week. We at Hart Energy and Oil and Gas Investor mourn his loss and extend our sympathies to his family and colleagues.

His enthusiastic embrace of the shale revolution will reverberate for years to come as Americans enjoy the bounty of oil and gas production that now comes from these unconventional reservoirs. His legacy as a driving figure behind the shale revolution cannot be denied-- and those of us at Oil and Gas Investor have lost a friend.

“We really appreciated our long relationship with Aubrey,” said executive editor-at-large Leslie Haines. “He had a larger-than-life persona, and he loved the limelight. He often made himself available for interviews in print and online, as we followed his sometimes controversial but always interesting business deals."

In 2005 and again in 2010, Chesapeake Energy, with McClendon at the helm, received our Oil and Gas Investor Excellence Award for M&A Deal of the Year; and in 2011, the company received the Best Discovery Award for unveiling the Utica Shale.

We’ll publish a look-back at his many contributions to the industry in our April issue.

McClendon’s appearances on stage at Hart Energy conferences helped establish our DUG franchise, the world’s largest series of unconventional resource events. His insights were always welcome; his comments entertaining; his attacks on the coal industry and the anti-frack movement forceful.

Many Hart Energy personnel from editors to top management knew McClendon first-hand. His ability to articulate the significance of the American shale revolution made him a natural resource for us--an enthusiastic and eminently quotable personality, whether in the magazine or on stage.