The Evolution and Legacy of Croft Production Systems, Inc.
Preston Croft began his career on the drilling side of the oil and gas industry, learning the grit and grind firsthand as he helped bring wells to life. But it didn’t take long for him to realize that drilling was just the beginning — the real challenge lay in making a well productive, efficient, and safe for the long haul.
With that insight, Preston transitioned into operations, managing his own wells and consulting on hundreds more throughout the 1980s.
One day, during a routine site assessment, Preston noticed something unusual — a glycol dehydrator wasn’t operating. He sent his right-hand operator to relight the pilot. What happened next changed everything.
As the operator struck the ignition, unburned gas—unbeknownst to them—had flooded the chamber. The pilot light sparked a flash ignition, causing a blowback. The operator was thrown back, his eyebrows singed and face scorched. Shaken but unharmed, he turned to Preston and said the words that would echo for decades:
“There has to be a better way than this.”
That sentence ignited a different kind of fire within Preston. It became the catalyst for a lifelong mission — to find safer, smarter, and more efficient ways to process natural gas.
From that moment forward, Preston dedicated himself to innovation. What began as a spark of frustration grew into CROFT: a company built on engineering excellence, relentless problem-solving, and the bold belief that there has to be a better way.
Today, CROFT is more than a company — it's a movement. With in-house engineering, manufacturing, and service teams, CROFT has reshaped the standards of gas processing. The company holds multiple patents, has earned industry accolades, and has been recognized by regulatory bodies, including the EPA. CROFT experts have spoken at TCEQ events, lectured at universities, and trained hundreds of engineers — all driven by the same rallying cry that started it all.
What began with a dangerous misfire evolved into a legacy of innovation.
And it all started with one man, one moment, and one powerful idea.
In 2015, Cameron Croft was appointed Chief Operating Officer, and later that same year, promoted to President and COO. By 2019, he stepped into the role of Chief Executive Officer. Under Cameron's leadership, CROFT has continued to embody its founding spirit — constantly innovating, improving existing natural gas processing solutions, and pushing into new markets. The mission that began with a single spark lives on through a new generation, driving the company forward with the same unwavering commitment to safer, smarter energy solutions.
