•Founded: 2004.
•Services: USA Oilfield is an Internet-based search engine for and about the oil-field services industry. The site includes an online directory of companies and the services they provide. Also included are links to oil- and gas-related news, forms and data.
The Web site includes limited free listings on about 4,500 companies. USA Oilfield also includes nearly 150 more extensive sponsored listings. The company charges $120 to $250 annually for the more detailed listings.
•History: USA Oilfield was founded by Tommy Roedell and his wife, Terry. Tommy Roedell began his oil and gas career as an oil-field well tester.
He then spent 19 years as a field inspector for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
The company was started after Tommy Roedell went back to college, graduating from Northwestern Oklahoma State University in 2004 with a degree in e-commerce.
"With new telephone technology coming out with the iPhone and others with built-in Web browser, people will be out on location and will be able to use our site for information on drilling rigs, frac tanks and other things they need,” Tommy Roedell said. "They'll be able to bring up a list and give them a call.”
The site was designed to be easily accessible, he said.
"I didn't want to make it a flashy site that was so complicated it would be hard to find information,” he said. "I've tried to simplify mine and make it user friendly. If you're looking for something, I want you to be able to go right to it. I don't want to have a lot of pop-up windows getting in the way.”
•Business challenges: Creating a new Internet-based business has been an exciting, but challenging time, Tommy Roedell said.
"You work hard for people all your life, but once you go to work for yourself, you work harder than ever,” he said. "Starting from scratch, we just took it one day at a time. We try to accomplish something everyday. You don't always understand what all is involved when you start out. But when you get to a point and start looking back, you realize you've come a long way.”
Business Writer Adam Wilmoth
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