In 1932, Lloyd Noble founded the Samedan Oil Corporation, predecessor company to Noble Energy, Inc. The company was named after his children Sam, Ed, and Ann. In 1968, Samedan acquired its first offshore block in the Gulf of Mexico. By the 1970s, Noble Affiliates Inc. was set up as a holding company to own Samedan Oil Corporation and a drilling company, Noble Drilling Corporation. In 1972, Noble Affiliates became a public company via an initial public offering, listing on the NASDAQ.