Thursday, February 20, 1997

Oil World site draws Internet notice

By BOB BRUCE / Senior Staff Writer

Not long ago Nick Ngoc knew nothing about the Internet. Now he's the editor of an oil information site that is attracting global attention.

Twice daily, Ngoc updates Oil World with prices, energy news and other data, editing what he calls a "one-stop oil newsletter."

Since making its debut last May 16, the rise of Abilene-based Oil World has been rather meteoric. During December - a slow month - activity averaged 20,000 hits per day, says Ngoc.

And recently, the newsletter was ranked 14th among the top 20 most vital web sites for futures traders.

The top 20 were ranked by Futures.Net, a clearinghouse for futures trading information.

Futures.Net President Mike Rhodes profiled Oil World as "the ultimate resource for energy markets information on the web. It has free delayed energy market prices on its home page with free graphs for most energy contracts. There also is an extensive directory of energy markets web links. It is one of the most extensive link sections we have seen on any subject on the web."

Since the Futures.Net publicity, Oil World activity has increased about 30 percent, Ngoc estimated. He said he is receiving responses "from all over the world."

His partners in Oil World Inc. are Kim Jackson, manager of Camalott Communications at 2913 S. 1st, and her mother-in-law, Winkie Jackson, a Camalott partner and teacher at Bassetti Elementary School.

"I provide the information. I am the editor and they are the printer and the distributor," Ngoc said.

Ngoc said Oil World arose from his frustration at being unable to find current oil prices on the Internet.

Most of the information was at least two or three weeks old, he said.

"It was very frustrating. So I designed the page and showed it to Winkie and Kim," he said.

Ngoc took his design to Camalott last Feb. 29 - appropriately, during Technology Week - because he'd already visited Camalott for an Internet class.

Winkie, who grew up in the West Texas oil town of Andrews, and Kim, who is a member of the Desk & Derrick Club of Abilene, recognized its potential.

"It's not designed by a programmer but by an engineer," Nick said. "It's useful and friendly and self-explanatory."

Ngoc said he reads about 10 papers daily before he begins inputting information. He also does about 40 color graphics daily.

Oil World is updated after closing with oil prices and histographs of crude oil, heating oil, gasoline and natural gas. Other information includes values of petroleum futures contracts including graphs of past versus future.

Ngoc said the newsletter is useful for producers, drilling contractors, consultants, banks and financing sources and others.

Ngoc said his introduction to the Internet is fairly recent.

"I didn't know anything about Internet. Winkie's the one who showed me," Ngoc said.

"He's extremely clever," Winkie said.

Ngoc, 47, is a native of Vietnam who has lived in Abilene since 1981 and holds bachelor and master's degrees in petroleum engineering from the University of Texas. He also has done work on his doctorate.

Commenting on Oil World's location, Ngoc said, "The value of the information is what counts, not where you are."

"We are pleased," Winkie said. "The last thing I do at night is look at Oil World - at the oil price and at the hits."

When will Oil World start making money?

"It should now," Kim said.

Oil World will be one of 11 exhibits on display Sunday and Monday during the 64th annual meeting of the West Central Texas Oil & Gas Association at the Abilene Civic Center.