Noble Energy, Inc., originally founded as Samedan Oil Corporation in 1932 by Lloyd Noble and named after his children Sam, Ed, and Ann, began with Noble's purchase of his first drilling rig in 1921. It evolved from a regional producer into a major independent hydrocarbon exploration firm, becoming Noble Affiliates Inc. in the 1970s. The company expanded globally, entering offshore exploration in 1968 with its first Gulf of Mexico block and becoming one of the first independents to explore there, shaping its success over eight decades. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Noble Energy grew into an S&P 500 company focused on locating and developing oil and natural gas into operational wells. Key projects included the Central DJ Basin onshore in the US, deepwater Gulf of Mexico fields like Galapagos and Gunflint, international assets such as Tamar and Leviathan offshore Israel, Aseng and Alen offshore Equatorial Guinea, and West Africa gas projects involving Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. In March 2010, it acquired Rocky Mountain assets from Petro-Canada and Suncor Energy. Notably, it discovered and developed major Israeli offshore gas fields, including Leviathan and Tamar. The company was acquired by Chevron in October 2020 for $13 billion.