EXXIQ

Energy Xxi Ltd

An independent oil and gas producer that snapped up mature, often abandoned Gulf of Mexico fields and Louisiana and Texas properties from bigger companies, then used modern techniques to wring out more production. Founded in 2005 by John Schiller, it grew through acquisitions and at its peak was one of the largest publicly traded independent producers on the Gulf shelf. Its name uses XXI, the Roman numeral for 21 — likely a nod to the 21st century. After heavy debts and the 2016 oil slump, it filed for bankruptcy in 2016 and re-emerged as Energy XXI Gulf Coast.