OILMAN Magazine would like to honor Mr. Gerald A. Boelte, chairman and founder of LLOG Exploration Company, LLC, who unexpectedly passed away on February 22, 2024, as the result of a single-vehicle accident on private land. The industry mourns his loss.
In a statement released by LLOG, Philip LeJeune, president and CEO, said, “Jerry founded LLOG in 1977 and guided it for the past 45-plus years. He was a friend and mentor to us all, and his passing is a tremendous loss for LLOG and the entire energy industry. Our love, thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this sad time.”
Boelte, 77, is survived by his wife, two siblings, five children and their spouses, and twelve grandchildren. After obtaining a BS in Petroleum Engineering from Louisiana State University, Boelte entered the oil and gas industry and “grew to become an industry leader in exploration and discovery of oil and gas reserves.”
Throughout his life, Boelte was an active force within LLOG, guiding it to become one of the most successful privately owned exploration and production companies in the United States. LLOG has also moved into deepwater projects, starting with onshore operations, and has proven its “methods are sustainable, effective and highly profitable.”
Boelte was known for being a responsible and respected businessman. After the Deepwater Horizon spill of 2010, companies refrained from drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Boelte, however, remained and purchased new leases. In 2013, LLOG and Stone Energy partnered to drill a deepwater well. In 2015, the pair struck oil in the Gulf of Mexico’s Viosca Knoll.
With its corporate headquarters in Covington, Louisiana, Boelte grew LLOG into a highly respected business and steward of St. Tammany Parish. It will remain a pillar of the community and continue to operate as a leader in the oil and gas industry.
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