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Radar · Oil & Gas Upstream in Denver

Best Oil & Gas Upstream Companies in Denver, United States

The 89 best Oil & Gas Upstream companies in Denver, United States in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: Resolute Energy.

89companies tracked
$12.1Bdisclosed funding
0unicorns
41have raised

Ranked: Best Oil & Gas Upstream companies in Denver

#CompanyDisclosed fundingLast roundEmployeesFoundedFounderPatents & IP focusRecent signals
1Resolute Energy
Oil & natural gas production company
$2.9B98 mo ago1282004Richard Betz
COO & Executive Vice-President
——
2Antero Resources
Independent oil and gas exploration and production company
$1.6B225 mo ago586
586 → 636 (+9%)
2002——2 awards
3Northwoods Energy
Supplier of high-quality timber products and building materials
$852M101 mo ago232018———
4Caerus Oil and Gas
Producer of sustainable, affordable natural gas
$735M107 mo ago2882009David H Keyte
Chairman & CEO
——
5Jonah Energy
Oil and gas exploration and production company
$600M104 mo ago166
166 → 236 (+42%)
2014Tom Hart
CEO
——
6SRC Energy
Oil & natural gas exploration and production company
$550M102 mo ago1202008Lynn Peterson
CEO & President
——
7QEP Resources
Designer and retailer of sustainable fine jewellery
$500M103 mo ago22010———
8RimRock Oil & Gas
Oil & gas exploration and production company
$500M123 mo ago192016James Fraser
CEO & President
——
9Hawkwood Energy
Exploration and Production Company Focused in the Rockies and Mid-Continent regions
$499M137 mo ago462012———
10Bonanza Creek Energy
Producer of sustainable oil and natural gas
$465M90 mo ago1251999———
11Inflection Energy
Developer of natural gas exploration and development projects
$386M140 mo ago322008Rodney Gray
CEO
——
12GMT Exploration Company
Operator of oil and gas properties, pursuing joint ventures and acquisitions
7Funding top 26%Moat top 45%Tech bottom 36%Global bottom 32%
All 7 signals ▾
Fundingtop 26%
Moattop 45%
Techbottom 36%
Globalbottom 32%
Marketbottom 27%
Patentsbottom 25%
Innovationbottom 9%
Funding: Raised $275M across 8 rounds · 8 rounds over 17 yrs (0.5/yr)
Moat: Editorial + unicorn rating 4/10 · IP moat: 3 patents
rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 7/100
$275M2 mo ago151991—3 patents
Solvent-based enhanced hydrocarbon extraction from low-permeability reservoirs
—
13BKV
Producer of net-zero natural gas, pursuing carbon-neutral energy solutions.
69Funding top 20%Fin. health top 20%Tech top 31%Market top 40%
All 12 signals ▾
Fundingtop 20%
Fin. healthtop 20%
Techtop 31%
Markettop 40%
Growthtop 40%
Partnerstop 40%
Newstop 45%
Talentbottom 49%
Moatbottom 44%
Patentsbottom 37%
Globalbottom 33%
Innovationbottom 28%
Funding: Raised $250M across 3 rounds · 3 rounds over 6 yrs (0.5/yr)
Fin. health: Revenue ~$377M (FY2025) · Net margin 11.7%
rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 69/100
$250M13 mo ago1582015Christopher Kalnin
Founder & CEO
2 patents
Monitoring and verification technologies for carbon‑neutral gas distribution pipelines
—
14Axia Energy II
Energy company specializing in wellbore manufacturing and resource play development
$202M135 mo ago—2009Adam Sayers
President
——
15Ursa Resources Group
Provider of secure managed IT support and digital transformation services
$200M176 mo ago252011———
16Extraction Oil & Gas
Oil and gas exploration and production company
$197M101 mo ago1252012———
17Triangle Petroleum Corporation
Exploration and development of unconventional oil and natural gas resources
$186M159 mo ago3852003———
18Arris Petroleum
Manufacturer of insulation tape preventing air leaks and thermal bridging
$166M152 mo ago192013———
19Bison Oil & Gas
Oil and gas exploration and production company
$155M80 mo ago182015———
20Balidor Oil & Gas
Oil and gas exploration and production company
$150M131 mo ago—2015Dave Baker
Co-Founder & CEO
——
21Sundance Energy
Independent oil & gas exploration and production company
$143M117 mo ago792005———
22Liberty Resources
Oil and gas company focused on acquisition and development of upstream assets
$125M104 mo ago—2013Mark Pearson
President & CEO
——
23MECO IV
Oil and gas acquisition, exploitation and exploration company
$105M93 mo ago—2013Sam Winegrad
Co-Founder
84 patents
Space‑saving collapsible furniture: folding chairs, desks, and stools for portable use.
—
24Gasco Energy
Provider of mineral rights management and consulting services
$98M191 mo ago141997———
25Elk Petroleum
Oil and gas company focusing on the development and production of long-lived reserves
$70M102 mo ago1052005Alliance Bernstein
Owner
——
26lilis energy
Lilis Energy, Inc. is a Denver-based independent oil and gas exploration and production company .
$61M87 mo ago43————
27Forest Oil
Provider of storage solutions for liquid and bulk cargo
$36M172 mo ago6051916Craig Clark
CEO & President
——
28Carbon Energy Corporation
Developer of oil and natural gas resources in California
$30M179 mo ago412007Patrick McDonald
CEO
——
29Berco Resource
Oil and Gas E&P Company
$25M326 mo ago—1998———
30Emerald Oil
Upstream oil and gas company
$15M147 mo ago422000McAndrew Rudisill
President & CEO
——
31Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp
Provider of a domain name marketplace facilitating sales
$14M179 mo ago3122001Hakim Kouadri
CEO
——
32Escalera Resources
Natural gas exploration and production company
$5M146 mo ago272014Charles Chambers
Chairman & CEO
——
33Foothills Exploration
Oil and gas exploration and development, plus new energy ventures
$3M59 mo ago52015Bruno Allaire
CEO
——
34Eon NRG
Battery and precious metals exploration in Australia and Nevada
$1M117 mo ago—2009John Whisler
CEO
——
35Faro Oil & Gas
Developer of oil and gas production optimization solutions
$600K87 mo ago—2018Randy Kenworthy
CEO
——

Top 12 Oil & Gas Upstream companies in Denver

#1
Series F · Denver, Colorado · founded 1991 · 15 employees
$274.5Mraised
▾

Operator of oil and gas properties, pursuing joint ventures and acquisitions. This company engages in the generation, operation, and development of oil and natural gas properties. Its business strategy includes leveraging technical expertise, generating projects through an experienced team, and pursuing growth through exploration and development drilling. The company maintains financial flexibility through cash flow from properties, returns from sales, and asset-based borrowing.

Fliar Intelligence Index™ 7how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 26%
Moat
top 45%
Tech
bottom 36%
Global
bottom 32%
Market
bottom 27%
Patents
bottom 25%
Funding: Raised $275M across 8 rounds · 8 rounds over 17 yrs (0.5/yr) · Last round Series F (Apr 2026)
Moat: Editorial + unicorn rating 4/10 · IP moat: 3 patents
Tech: 17 technologies across 2/8 capability areas · Devops: Nginx · Security: Recaptcha
Funding rounds
  • Apr 2026Series F$113.6M
  • Feb 2024Series E$73.9M
  • Mar 2023Series E$73.1M
  • May 2016Series D$35M
Tech stack
Core-JsGoogle Font ApiGravity FormsGsapIsotopeJquery
#2
Public · Denver, Colorado · founded 2015 · 158 employees
$250Mraised
▾

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Fliar Intelligence Index™ 69how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 20%
Fin. health
top 20%
Tech
top 31%
Market
top 40%
Growth
top 40%
Partners
top 40%
Funding: Raised $250M across 3 rounds · 3 rounds over 6 yrs (0.5/yr) · Last round Post IPO (May 2025)
Fin. health: Revenue ~$377M (FY2025) · Net margin 11.7% · Revenue 1.5x total funding
Tech: 35 technologies across 4/8 capability areas · Cloud: Amazon Cloudfront, Amazon Web Services · Security: Cloudflare Bot Management, Hsts
Funding rounds
  • May 2025Post IPO$48M
  • Oct 2023Series D$150M
  • Dec 2020Series C$100M
Founders & team
Christopher KalninFounder & CEO
Investors
Oaktree Capital Management
Tech stack
Amazon CloudfrontAmazon Web ServicesCaddyCraft CmsEmotionHsts
#3
Acquired · Denver, Colorado · founded 2004 · 128 employees
$2.9Braised
▾

Resolute is an oil & natural gas production company. Has a focus on technologies like fracturing and hrizontal drilling. Operational in around 21k acre area in Delaware and Permian basins in USA, as of Feb'18.

Funding rounds
  • Apr 2018Conventional Debt$75M
  • Jan 2017Conventional Debt$800M
  • Jan 2017Conventional Debt$1.5B
  • Dec 2016Post IPO$166M
Founders & team
Richard BetzCOO & Executive Vice-President
Tech stack
WordpressMysqlPhpBootstrapYoast SeoJquery
#4
Public · Denver, Colorado · founded 2002 · 586 employees
$1.6Braised
▾

In 2022, the company recorded annual revenues of $8.24B and a net profit of $2.27B.

LinkedIn Pulse recent public activity · Jul 2026
Audience: 44k LinkedIn followers — 33.7% of this cohort's audience
Activity: 2 awards announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
  • Sep 2007Series B$30M
  • May 2004Series B$15M
  • Feb 2003Series A$26.8M
Investors
Warburg Pincus, Trilantic Capital Partners North America, Quantum Energy Partners, Shah Capital
Tech stack
Apache Http ServerApple Icloud MailBootstrapCore-JsFancyboxHcaptcha
#5
Acquired · Denver, Colorado · founded 2018 · 23 employees
$851.7Mraised
▾

Supplier of high-quality timber products and building materials. This company offers a diverse selection of wood products for construction and renovation projects. Their offerings include lumber, pressure-treated timber, OSB, cladding, profiled timber, and firewood. They provide timely delivery services. The company emphasizes the quality and durability of its wood products, ensuring customer satisfaction.

Funding rounds
  • Jan 2018PE$851.7M
Investors
Apollo Global Management
Tech stack
WordpressMysqlPhpContact Form 7Yoast SeoNginx
#6
Acquired · Denver, Colorado · founded 1999 · 125 employees
$465Mraised
▾

Producer of sustainable oil and natural gas. It focuses on responsible operations, prioritizing safety, innovation, and community engagement. The company aims to meet global energy demands while minimizing environmental impact through emission reduction strategies and partnerships with local communities. Its business model emphasizes long-term sustainability and efficient asset development. It strives to provide reliable and affordable energy.

Funding rounds
  • Dec 2018Conventional Debt$750M
  • Apr 2017Series D$200M
  • Apr 2013Conventional Debt$300M
  • Jan 2011Series D$265M
Tech stack
WordpressMysqlMariadbPhpVarnishNginx
#7
Acquired · Denver, Colorado · founded 2009 · 288 employees
$735Mraised
▾

Producer of sustainable, affordable natural gas. This company focuses on the acquisition, development, and production of natural gas assets. It employs conventional investment strategies to acquire and develop these assets, aiming for efficient and scalable operations. The company prioritizes safety and environmental stewardship in all aspects of its operations. Its business model includes a comprehensive development program, field optimization to increase production and lower costs, and limited exploration activities to expand reserves. The company also owns significant gas gathering and water infrastructure assets, providing services to itself and third-party producers.

Funding rounds
  • Jul 2017Conventional Debt$735M
Founders & team
David H KeyteChairman & CEO
Investors
Oaktree Capital Management
Tech stack
WordpressMysqlPhpChart.JsDiviYoast Seo
#8
Funding Raised · Denver, Colorado · founded 2014 · 166 employees
$600Mraised
▾

Oil and gas exploration and production company. It acquires and operates producing oil and gas properties. The company focuses on minimizing production decline and reducing operating costs through efficiency and innovation, while prioritizing safety and environmental performance. It implements new technologies to reduce environmental impact, particularly methane emissions. Collaboration with industry partners is a key element of its strategy for achieving sustainability goals. The company pursues growth through strategic acquisitions and development of existing assets.

LinkedIn Pulse recent public activity · Jul 2026
Audience: 19k LinkedIn followers — 14.6% of this cohort's audience
Funding rounds
  • Oct 2017Conventional Debt$600M
Founders & team
Tom HartCEO
Investors
TPG, EIG Global Energy Partners
Tech stack
Apple Icloud MailAzureContact Form 7Core-JsGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Font Api
#9
Acquired · Denver, Colorado · founded 2008 · 120 employees
$550Mraised
▾

SRC Energy is an oil & natural gas exploration and production company. Uses techniques like horizontal drilling and fracturing for enhanced hydrocarbon recovery. Has around 200 operational wells with 45k+ Boe/d production, as of Dec'17. Operational in Denver-Julesburg Basin in Colorado and Wyoming, as of Apr'18.

Funding rounds
  • Nov 2017Conventional Debt$550M
Founders & team
Lynn PetersonCEO & President
#10
Series D · Denver, Colorado · founded 2008 · 32 employees
$386.2Mraised
▾

Developer of natural gas exploration and development projects. It focuses on the exploration and development of natural gas opportunities. The company prioritizes environmentally responsible operations and maintains strong relationships with landowners and communities. Development of natural resources is conducted efficiently and in an orderly manner.

Funding rounds
  • Oct 2014Series D$225M
  • Apr 2014Series C$35M
  • Jun 2013Series C$103.8M
  • Jun 2012Series B$22M
Founders & team
Rodney GrayCEO
Investors
Noble Group, Bregal Energy, ICP Group
Tech stack
WordpressMysqlPhpContact Form 7Apache Http ServerSlider Revolution
#11
Acquired · Denver, Colorado · founded 2010 · 2 employees
$500Mraised
▾

Designer and retailer of sustainable fine jewellery. The company creates and sells necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings. Materials include solid gold, gold-plated sterling silver, and lab-grown diamonds. The jewellery is designed with personalization options, such as initials and birthstones. A variety of styles are offered, from dainty to statement pieces. The company emphasizes ethical sourcing and sustainable practices in its production.

Funding rounds
  • Nov 2017Conventional Debt$500M
#12
Acquired · Denver, Colorado · founded 2012 · 46 employees
$499.1Mraised
▾

Hawkwood Energy is an exploration and production company focused on onshore, liquids-weighted opportunities in known hydrocarbon basins in the Rockies and Mid-Continent regions. The company focuses on early stage and emerging resource-type plays.

Funding rounds
  • Dec 2014PE$184.7M
  • Aug 2012PE$314.4M
Investors
Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, Warburg Pincus, Verde Bio Holdings

Funding & investor landscape

$12.1Btotal disclosed funding
36companies funded
83disclosed rounds
1rounds last 90 days
Most active investors
NGP6 rounds
Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors4 rounds
Concentric Equity Partners3 rounds
EIG Global Energy Partners3 rounds
Oaktree Capital Management3 rounds
Trilantic Capital Partners North America3 rounds
Warburg Pincus3 rounds
Arcadius Capital Partners2 rounds
CPP Investments2 rounds
Carnelian Energy Capital2 rounds

Notable founders

Christopher Kalnin
Founder & CEO · BKV
Richard Betz
COO & Executive Vice-President · Resolute Energy
David H Keyte
Chairman & CEO · Caerus Oil and Gas
Tom Hart
CEO · Jonah Energy
Lynn Peterson
CEO & President · SRC Energy
Rodney Gray
CEO · Inflection Energy
James Fraser
CEO & President · RimRock Oil & Gas
Adam Sayers
President · Axia Energy II
Dave Baker
Co-Founder & CEO · Balidor Oil & Gas
Steve Lile
Co-Founder & VP · Balidor Oil & Gas
Mark Pearson
President & CEO · Liberty Resources
Sam Winegrad
Co-Founder · MECO IV
Prism market signals · United States · country-scoped Prism corpus, 11,908,071 docs

Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage

Share of Oil & Gas Upstream coverage by sub-theme.

Regulatory-risk over time rising

Funding & growth over time

funding rising · growth rising

Common questions

How many Oil & Gas Upstream companies are there in Denver, United States?
Radar tracks 89 indexable Oil & Gas Upstream companies headquartered in Denver, United States that meet our profile-completeness bar.
What is the total funding raised by Oil & Gas Upstream companies in Denver, United States?
The Oil & Gas Upstream companies in Denver, United States on this list have raised a combined $12.1B in disclosed equity funding across 36 funded companies.
Which is the highest-funded Oil & Gas Upstream company in Denver, United States?
Resolute Energy is the highest-funded Oil & Gas Upstream company in Denver, United States, with $2.9B in disclosed equity funding.
How many Oil & Gas Upstream companies in Denver, United States are funded?
36 of the 89 Oil & Gas Upstream companies in Denver, United States on this list have disclosed at least one equity funding round.
How many Oil & Gas Upstream unicorns are there in Denver, United States?
None of the Oil & Gas Upstream companies in Denver, United States on this list currently has a disclosed valuation of $1B or more.
Who are the top investors in Denver, United States Oil & Gas Upstream companies?
The most active investors in Denver, United States Oil & Gas Upstream companies on this list include NGP, Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, Concentric Equity Partners, EIG Global Energy Partners, Oaktree Capital Management.
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