Navajo Nation Oil and Gas Company
50 Narbono Circle , West St. , Michaels, Arizona, United States

With headquarters in St. Michaels, Arizona, NNOGC is a federally incorporated company wholly owned by the Navajo Nation. NNOGC owns and operates oil and natural gas interests in New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah.

• Helping to drive the American economy
• Enhancing our quality of life everyday
• Supporting organizations & schools

History

In the 1920’s, oil resource development began on the Navajo Nation. In 1923, a Navajo tribal government was established primarily for the Bureau of Indian Affairs to approve lease agreements with American oil companies, who were eager to begin oil operations on Navajo lands.  In 1933, Congress enlarged the Navajo Reservation with the Aneth Extension located in southeast Utah. The discovery of oil at Aneth and Montezuma Creek occurred in 1956, and since that time, oil companies have drilled 577 wells and pumped an estimated 428 million barrels of oil.  In January of 1992, Navajo Nation Chairman Peterson Zah’s administration issued a Navajo Nation Energy Policy. The policy was formulated with input from energy specialists, environmentalists, economic development specialists, lawyers, and political leaders of the Navajo Nation. The Navajo Nation Energy Policy observed that the Navajo Nation was resource rich, but it was neither obtaining proper value for its minerals nor, more importantly, participating in the energy industry as a business owner.  After 70 years of American oil companies conducting business activities on tribal lands, the Navajo Nation formed their own corporation, the Navajo Nation Oil and Gas Co., Inc. (NNOGC, Inc. or tribal company) under the 1993 Navajo Nation Corporation Code. This tribal corporation was created for the purpose of engaging in oil and gas production as a fully integrated, for-profit entity.  NNOGC opened a small office in Window Rock AZ and the first NNOGC Board of Directors consisted of four Navajos and two non-Navajo businessmen from the oil and gas industry. In 1995, Navajo Nation crude oil was being marketing by NNOGC. Initially, NNOGC was started using a $500,000 grant from the Navajo Division of Economic Development, but within three years (1996) the initial investment was repaid.  By 1997, the Navajo Nation Council approved a Federal Charter of Incorporation for NNOGC under Section 17 of the Indian Reorganization Act. By December 1997, the U.S. Secretary of Interior issued a Charter of Incorporation. On February 5, 1998 the Navajo Nation Council ratified the Charter. In that same year, the merger of the NNOGC tribal corporation and the NNOGC federal corporation was completed and today, NNOGC is a federal entity.  Since its creation, NNOGC has acquired and now operates an 87-mile crude oil pipeline, acquired and is continuing to acquire significant oil and gas working interests in the Greater Aneth, UT oil fields, and expanded its retail and wholesale business.  While NNOGC is still in a robust growth mode, it has returned significant royalty payments, taxes, right-of-way payments, lease payments, scholarships and other contributions to the Navajo Nation and host communities, which these entities use to provide employment and services to the Navajo people. The business activity of NNOGC contributes not only to the self-sufficiency of the Navajo Nation, but also to the energy security of the United States.

Our Goal Zero ambition

Our Goal Zero ambition is to achieve no harm and no leaks across all of our operations. Everyone working for NNOGC strives to achieve this goal each day.  To achieve Goal Zero, we focus on the three areas of safety hazards which have the highest risks for our type of activities: personal, process, and transport safety.  We set consistent, high safety standards across NNOGC and we expect all of our employees and contractors to meet them – whether they work in a refinery, on a drilling rig or in an office. We also share and learn from the safety standards and experiences of others in our industry through programs like our Contractor Safety Leadership initiatives.  Our safety standards and requirements are explained clearly in our Health, Safety, Security, Environmental and Social Performance Control Framework. These standards apply to all aspects of our activities, from designing a facility through to decommissioning a site or platform. They apply to our employees, our contractors and any joint ventures where we have operational accountability.  In pursuit of Goal Zero, we work relentlessly to strengthen our safety culture, focusing on caring for people and leadership commitment. A strong safety culture is complemented by a competent workforce. We ensure that people responsible for tasks with a significant safety hazard have the necessary training and skills. Our safety experts work in networks to share and implement best practices around the world.

Helping to drive the American economy

Navajo Nation Oil and Gas Company (NNOGC) is a federally incorporated oil and gas company wholly owned by the Navajo Nation. NNOGC’s strengths are in exploration and discovery, production, midstream business and a downstream business – all supported by leading-edge technology.  Today, the energy NNOGC produces not only keeps America moving but it also helps drive the American economy.

Enhancing our quality of life everyday

NNOGC has more than 100 employees with headquarters in St. Michaels, Ariz., and operations in New Mexico, and Utah. NNOGC owns and operates oil and natural gas interests, primarily in the San Juan Basin in New Mexico and the Greater Aneth, Tohonadla and Desert Creek fields in southeast Utah. The company also operates the Running Horse Pipeline in southeast Utah and northwest New Mexico and gas stations on the Navajo Nation under the Navajo Petroleum and Chevron brands.

Supporting organizations & schools

NNOGC was established as a federally chartered Section 17 Corporation under authority granted by the Navajo Nation Council and began operations in 1998. The company contributed $49.6 million in direct and indirect payments to the Navajo Nation economy in 2013. The company supports numerous charitable organizations in the Navajo Nation and has contributed more than $1.4 million in scholarships in since 2003, including $275,000 in 2013.

Upstream Strategies & Profitability Focus

Although business conditions and opportunities change from year to year, NNOGC employs a set of long-term fundamental strategies in its reservation wide exploration, development, production, and gas marketing businesses. Success is determined by how well these strategies are implemented and how effectively we utilize our leadership position in key technologies on what we believe is the best upstream asset portfolio in the industry.  NNOGC is focused on maximizing the profitability of the business. Aggressive work program implementation, effective asset management, and continuous cost management are key drivers behind the company’s strong returns on capital employed.

• Maximize profitability of existing oil and gas production
• Identify and pursue all attractive exploration opportunities
• Invest in projects that deliver superior returns
• Capitalize on growing natural gas markets

Downstream Operations with Navajo Petroleum

Navajo Petroleum began on a journey in 1996 with the acquisition of locations in Window Rock and Kayenta, AZ. With great success the range of expansion followed with locations in Chinle, Tohatchi, Blue Gap and Tse Bonito. With the patronage of the Navajo people for over a decade Navajo Petroleum is honored to be a site that is visited and owned by the Navajo Nation.  These stations exist to serve the communities as a destination site for the basic necessities. We would like to be a corner stone for service. Our fuel is of quality that will get you to your destination. Our commitment and focus is solely for the enrichment of the Navajo Nation and the Navajo people.  We provide quality fuel at competitive rates. We strive to meet the standards of every Customer that visits each of our locations. We have a deli and a chicken program that aims to please the palate of the Navajo people. The stores each have monthly promotions that offer the best deals.  Be sure to visit a Navajo Petroleum location near you.