Vetting an oil and gas company before investing is not always straightforward, but Gulf Coast Western‘s chief operating officer, John Engel, argues it does not need to be complicated either. Engel, who came to the company from a compliance background in the securities industry, has spoken publicly about specific steps prospective partners should take before committing capital to a drilling venture.

Start With Public Records

Engel recommends beginning with the Better Business Bureau, calling it one of the simplest ways to check whether a company handles its business honestly. From there, he points investors toward Dun & Bradstreet reports and the secretaries of state where a company operates, both of which can confirm whether a firm is properly registered and in good standing. These low-cost resources, he noted on the “Wealthability for CPAs” podcast, can reveal a great deal about how a company conducts itself long before any money changes hands.

The API Number Test

Engel also highlighted a lesser-known verification step: checking whether a proposed well carries an American Petroleum Institute number. Every oil and gas well is assigned this unique identifier, which allows it to be tracked and confirmed as a permitted, working project. He said a legitimate operator should be able to produce that number without hesitation. If a promoter cannot or will not share it, Engel warned, that omission should raise immediate concern.

Engel has said he applied this same scrutiny to Gulf Coast Western before joining the team, describing how he personally researched the company from top to bottom. That willingness to be checked, rather than simply trusted, sits at the center of how Gulf Coast Western positions itself in an industry where outcomes can never be promised. For partners doing homework before a first joint venture, Engel’s checklist offers a practical starting point built on decades of experience inside Gulf Coast Western. See related link for additional information.

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