Oil Weekly to World Oil: Expansion to better serve a worldwide industry

After World War II ended, and the oil and gas industry picked up again, Gulf Publishing Company recognized that there was a need to change with the times. So, to continue serving its readers at the highest standard possible, The Oil Weekly was given a new name.

Beginning with the July 7, 1947, issue of the publication, the new name was World Oil, to better exemplify a worldwide industry. The new name also described the publication’s scope of editorial coverage more accurately, as it had more recently broadened the amount of international coverage that it published, in addition to its extensive U.S. coverage.

In the last issue of The Oil Weekly, on June 30, 1947, the name change was announced. Publisher Ray Dudley wrote: “The change of name is being made as the result of changes within the petroleum industry itself: The greatest expansion in petroleum facilities the world has ever known is underway, much of it outside the U.S. This spread of the industry is certain to gain momentum in coming years.”

World Oil continued to evolve that same year when, in October, it went from a weekly to a monthly publication. A monthly magazine meant more editorial pages, and therefore, a more generous allocation of space per issue to devote to technical articles and news reports.

In Dudley’s address to readers, he also announced World Oil’s intent to publish more technical and operating articles from contributors in various phases of the industry. Additionally, he elaborated on changes being made to Gulf Publishing Company’s office in Houston. An addition to the main building was designed solely as editorial offices.

Dudley wrote: “But of all the advantages which we feel we have, we put at the top the friends made through honest efforts to publish an oil paper with fair-dealing and accuracy as the principles guiding it, these principles coupled with a willingness to stick our neck out on controversial subjects when we felt we were right!”