About

Upland Exploration

Founded in 1998, Upland Exploration launched into oil & gas exploration as a family business in Houston, Texas. Now headquartered in Boerne, Texas, with offices in Oklahoma City and a field office in Shattuck, Oklahoma, the Upland entities (collectively “Upland”) are still family-owned. For over 25 years, Upland has successfully discovered and produced properties in Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado, and participated in wells located in Kansas, Wyoming, and North Dakota.

Since 2022, Upland’s principal exploration focus has been horizontal wells with multi-stage fracs in the Anadarko Basin of Western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle. Upland also enjoyed a successful run in Northern Colorado before exiting the state in 2024. Prior to 2013, Upland was involved in the discovery and exploration of the Ammo Field in Washita County, Oklahoma, and the South Mayfield and Sweetwater Fields in Beckham County, Oklahoma.

Currently, the Company’s primary focus is the Cherokee play, with Upland controlling over 200,000 leasehold acres. We have drilled and operated some of the biggest wells in the play, including the Barbara 3/34 1H in Ellis County and the Telli Camdyn 30/19 1H in Roger Mills County.

Shaped by a combination of successful drilling and acquisitions, we take pride in our history and the great relationships built along the way. Upland’s disciplined strategy and forward-thinking, coupled with our ability to make quick decisions, has proven successful time after time. Upland has also participated in hundreds of wells drilled by others and is always open to partnerships and investments with those who share the same commitment to operational excellence.

Meet the Team
Two people in camouflage jackets stand on a metal platform, giving thumbs up, against a clear blue sky.
A large oil drilling rig is situated in an open field under a cloudy sky, surrounded by equipment, vehicles, and containers.
A man and a child give thumbs up near a fenced area.
Aerial view of an oil drilling site at sunset with equipment, storage tanks, and a circular containment area, set against a vast plains landscape.
Aerial view of an industrial site with machinery, several trucks, containers, and equipment arranged on a concrete surface.
An adult and a child wearing hard hats stand on a gravel surface in front of industrial machinery.
A row of six large cylindrical storage tanks is lined up beside a parked white tanker truck on a clear day under a blue sky.
Stacks of metal pipes arranged in rows on gravel, with several vehicles parked nearby. Prefabricated buildings and flags are also visible in the background.
Two men wearing gray hard hats labeled "CACTUS," smiling, stand indoors in front of a safety sign.
Aerial view of an oil drilling rig on a flat landscape, surrounded by equipment, vehicles, and storage containers under a partly cloudy sky.
An oil drilling rig on a flat landscape, surrounded by equipment, vehicles, and storage containers under a partly cloudy sky.
Aerial view of multiple blue trucks and connected machinery arranged in rows at an industrial site, with yellow hoses extending from the equipment.
Sign for Upland Exploration Inc. with an oil rig silhouette against an orange sky.
Oil drilling site
Oil drilling site at night

Meet the Upland Team

David R. Watts

Founder, President & CEO

Regan Gradke

CFO

James Jackson

VP of Operations

Kevin Young

General Counsel

David Brimager

Surface Owner Relations

BJ Kirtley

Landman

Jay Buckley

Landman

Brad Green

Accounting Manager

Discover Our
Commitment to Quality

We build partnerships based on trust, expertise, and results.