Samson Resources Company, founded in 1971 by Charles Schusterman in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was a family-owned oil and gas producer that emerged as one of the largest privately held independent exploration and production companies in the United States. Initially focused on acquiring and developing oil and natural gas assets, the company expanded significantly under family ownership, building a portfolio of reserves primarily in key U.S. basins such as the Permian, Anadarko, and Williston. By the early 2000s, Samson had become a major player in the energy sector, with operations spanning onshore and offshore drilling, and it was recognized for its substantial production volumes and strategic acquisitions. In 1986, Samson Investment Company was incorporated as the holding entity to oversee its various subsidiaries, including Samson Energy Company and Samson Offshore, streamlining its diverse energy activities.

The company's growth was propelled by the Schusterman family's vision, particularly after Charles Schusterman's death in 1989, when his widow Lynn and children Howard and Stacy assumed leadership roles. Samson Resources amassed billions in assets, emphasizing unconventional resource development and maintaining a low public profile as a private firm. However, the 2011 sale to a consortium of private equity firms—Global Infrastructure Partners, KKR, and Riverstone Holdings—for approximately $7.2 billion marked the end of family control, allowing the buyers to leverage the company's established assets amid a booming shale gas market.

Post-acquisition, Samson faced significant challenges, including a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in 2015 amid plummeting oil prices and heavy debt from the leveraged buyout. The restructuring reduced its debt load and shifted ownership, but the company has since stabilized, continuing operations as a mid-sized producer with a focus on core U.S. plays. Throughout its history, Samson has been involved in various leases and wells, with production data tracked from the 1960s onward, though it has drawn occasional scrutiny for environmental impacts typical of the oil and gas industry, including allegations of regulatory non-compliance in drilling operations during the fracking boom.