About Us
J.P. Bryan formed Torch in 1981 under the guidance of Torchmark Corporation, a large insurance holding company. Torch originally focused on originating investment opportunities for Torchmark and other investors. During the early years, Torch formed twenty-five institutional investment partnerships to invest in North American oil and gas properties. In each case, Torch acted as the general partner to the partnership. Torch’s institutional partners primarily included large insurance companies and pension funds. A partial list of these investors is shown below:
Alfa Insurance Company
Allstate Insurance Company
American General Corporation
Canada Life Insurance Company
Colorado Fire & Police Pension
Decurion Employees Retirement Trust
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Doane College
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
IBM Corporation
IBM United Kingdom Pensions Trust Limited
Liberty National Life Insurance
Life Investors Insurance Company
New England Mutual Life Insurance Company
New York Life Insurance Company
Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Company
Provident Mutual Life Insurance Company
Prudential Portfolio Managers Limited
Richard King Mellon Foundation
Security Benefit Life Insurance Company
Teachers Insurance & Annuity Association
Torchmark Corporation
UNUM Life Insurance Company
UNUM Life Insurance Company Pension Fund
United American Insurance Company
University of Chicago
In 1996, Mr. Bryan led management in a buyout of Torchmark. In years that followed, Torch formed or assumed management of a series of large, publicly-traded energy companies in the United States and Canada. In all, Torch has sponsored six public companies:
Bellwether Exploration (ASE); now owned by Petrohawk
Nuevo Energy Company (NYSE); now owned by Plains Exploration
Gulf Canada Resources (NYSE and TSE); now owned by ConocoPhillips
Athabasca Oil Sands Trust (TSE); now Canadian Oil Sands Trust
Torch Energy Royalty Trust (NYSE)
Resaca Exploitation, Inc. (LSE)
More recently, Torch has focused on developing three primary business segments: Upstream Oil and Gas Development and Production; Midstream Oil and Gas Assets and Services and Renewable Energy. Torch conducts these activities through a variety of subsidiaries and managed affiliates.
TEAI’s primary upstream vehicle is Resaca Exploitation, Inc. (“RSX” and, formerly, “RSOX”). Originally formed in 2006 as a limited partnership, Resaca now trades on the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange (www.resacaexploitation.com). Torch is Resaca’s largest shareholder and provides management services to the company. Torch conducts exploration, exploitation and production through subsidiaries as well. Learn more in Upstream.
Torch’s midstream interests are held in Quivira Partners, L.P. (“Quivira”). Quivira was formed by Torch in 2004 and controls fifty-six natural gas gathering systems totaling 646 miles of pipeline in forty counties in Mississippi, Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana and Oklahoma. Torch’s service subsidiaries manage and operate Quivira’s assets and provide natural gas and crude oil marketing services to Quivira’s customers.
Torch entered the renewable energy business in 2007 with the formation of Torch Renewable Energy, LLC (“Torch Renewable”). Torch Renewable is a developer of wind energy projects in the United States. Please see www.torchwind.com for more information. In 2009, as an extension of the wind energy development business, Torch formed Onsemble, LLC (“Onsemble”). Onsemble is developing proprietary wind forecasting services for electricity generators, power traders and system operators. Please see www.onsemble.ws for further information. Learn more about Torch Renewable.