Jeffery Hildebrand Net Worth

Jeffery Hildebrand has an estimated net worth of $15 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Jeffery Hildebrand profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is up from $3 billion in 2019.

Jeffery Hildebrand is an American oil and gas entrepreneur best known for cofounding Hilcorp in 1990. He led the company as chief executive officer until 2018 and stayed on as chairman. Before starting Hilcorp, he worked at Exxon, American Energy Capital Corporation, and the Dan A. Hughes Company. His background in geology and petroleum engineering helped him build a business around buying and improving older energy assets.

Much of Hildebrand's wealth comes from Hilcorp, one of the biggest privately held oil companies. Forbes says his fortune was $15 billion on its real-time billionaires tracker as of October 20, 2026. Hilcorp produces more than 400,000 barrels per day of oil and gas. A major step came in 2020, when Hilcorp finalized its $5.6 billion purchase of BP's assets in Alaska, adding a large set of producing properties.

How Jeffery Hildebrand built his fortune

Hildebrand made his money in energy through Hilcorp, the company he cofounded in 1990. The business focuses on oil and gas exploration and production, with a record of buying older properties and getting more out of them. Hildebrand later bought out his partner for $500 million, giving him a larger stake in the company he helped create. That ownership position is the main reason his wealth is tied so closely to Hilcorp's scale.

Hilcorp's size helps explain the fortune. Forbes notes that the company produces more than 400,000 barrels per day of oil and gas, putting it among the largest privately held players in the industry. The company also expanded in Alaska through its 2020 deal for BP's assets. Outside energy, Forbes says Hildebrand has invested in Savage Arms, Sierra Bullets, BowTech, and Excalibur Crossbow, adding another stream of business exposure beyond oil and gas.

Forbes net worth history

Forbes' published estimates for Hildebrand changed sharply over time. Its World's Billionaires List put him at $3 billion in 2019, then $2.2 billion in 2020 and $2 billion in 2021. After that, the figure jumped to $7.5 billion in 2022 and $10.2 billion in 2023. Forbes then estimated $12.6 billion in 2024, followed by $7.7 billion in 2025 and $10 billion in 2026.

Those swings match how closely his wealth is linked to a privately held energy company and major asset deals. Hilcorp's Alaska expansion in 2020 was one important business move during that stretch. Forbes currently places him at $15 billion on its real-time billionaires tracker as of October 20, 2026. Earlier, Hildebrand also drew attention for employee pay at Hilcorp when he gave 1,400 workers a $100,000 bonus in 2015 after the company doubled in size over a short period.