Best Gas Companies To Own In Right Now

American Eagle Energy Corporation (AMZG)

Today, AMZG remains (0.00%) +0.000 at $1.92 with 66,805 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 1:49PM EDT October 8, 2013).

American Eagle Energy Corporation, previously reported it priced the sale of 13,709,386 shares of its common stock to the public at $1.70 per share for gross proceeds of approximately $23.3 million. The Company granted the underwriters a 30-day over-allotment option to purchase up to an additional 2,056,408 shares of the Company’s common stock at the same price. The offering is expected to settle on October 7, 2013, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Upon closing, the resulting net proceeds to the Company, after deducting underwriting discounts, commissions and other expenses, are expected to be approximately $21.5 million. The Company intends to use the net proceeds, along with cash on hand, cash flow from operations and additional borrowings under its Morgan Stanley credit facility, to fund the first half of its previously announced acquisition of oil and gas assets and its capital budget for the balance of 2013. Any remaining net proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes, including working capital.

Top 10 Mid Cap Companies To Watch For 2015: Hi Crush Partners LP (HCLP)

Hi Crush Partners LP, formerly Hi-Crush Partners LP, is a domestic producer of monocrystalline sand, a specialized mineral that is used as a proppant to enhance the recovery rates of hydrocarbons from oil and natural gas wells. The Company reserves consist of Northern White sand, a resource existing in Wisconsin and limited portions of the upper Midwest region of the United States. It owns, operates and develops sand reserves and related excavation and processing facilities and will seek to acquire or develop additional facilities. The Company's 561-acre facility with integrated rail infrastructure, located near Wyeville, Wisconsin, enables it to process and deliver approximately 1,600,000 tons of frac sand per year. In June 2013, Hi Crush Partners LP announced the completion of its acquisition of D&I Silica, LLC (D&I).

The Company�� frac sand production is sold to investment grade-rated pressure pumping service providers under long-term, contracts that require its customers to pay a specified price for a specified volume of frac sand each month. The Company owns and operates the Wyeville facility, which is located in Monroe County, Wisconsin and, as of December 31, 2011, contained 48.4 million tons of proven recoverable sand reserves of mesh sizes it has contracted to sell. From the Wyeville in-service date to March 31, 2012, it had processed and sold 555,250 tons of frac sand.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Hi-Crush Partners (NYSE: HCLP  )
  Sticking with the MLP theme, Hi-Crush Partners operates at the other end of the oil and gas drilling spectrum. The company mines the sand that's used as a fracking proppant; in so doing, it's one of the many companies piggybacking on the shale boom. As one of the lowest-cost producers, the company enjoys healthy margins which enables it to pay a very fine 10.5% distribution.

• [By Robert Rapier]

  Rounding out the top five were�Hi-Crush Partners�(NYSE: HCLP), another supplier of fracking sand (+71 percent),�EQT Midstream Partners�(NYSE: EQM), a midstream provider in the Appalachian Basin (+66.5 percent), and�Valero Energy Partners�(NYSE:VLP) (+61.5 percent), which consists of midstream assets dropped down from the refiner�Valero Energy�(NYSE:VLO).

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Three months ago I used my favorite investment strategy, writing puts, in an attempt to�add units�of�Hi-Crush Partners� (NYSE: HCLP  ) �to my portfolio. In one sense, that strategy was a failure as units of Hi-Crush stayed well above my strike price, meaning I won't be purchasing units when the puts expire next week. However, I was able to keep the full put premium which equated to a very nice 12% return for my capital at risk. Because I still want to add Hi-Crush to my portfolio, I'm going back to the well and writing puts again.

• [By Robert Rapier and Igor Greenwald]

  Some MLPs have experienced huge capital appreciation. Three–Icahn Enterprises (Nasdaq: IEP), Hi-Crush Partners (NYSE: HCLP), and The Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX)–gained over 100 percent in 2013. A fourth, American Midstream Partners (NYSE: AMID) gained 96 percent for the year.

Best Gas Companies To Own In Right Now: Sandridge Mississippian Trust II (SDR)

SandRidge Mississippian Trust II is a statutory trust formed to own overriding royalty interests to be conveyed to the trust by SandRidge Energy, Inc. (SandRidge) in 67 producing horizontal wells, including 13 wells, which are awaiting completion (the Producing Wells), in the Mississippian formation in northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas, and overriding royalty interests in 206 horizontal development wells (The Development Wells) to be drilled in the Mississippian formation (the Development Wells) on properties within an Area of Mutual Interest (the AMI). SandRidge is an independent oil and natural gas company engaged in the development and production activities related to the exploitation of its holdings in West Texas and the Mid-Continent area of Oklahoma and Kansas. The AMI, which is limited to the Mississippian formation, consists of approximately 81,200 gross acres (53,000 net acres) held by SandRidge. The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. is trustee (the Trustee), and The Corporation Trust Company is a Delaware Trustee (the Delaware Trustee).

The Mississippian formation is encountered at depths between approximately 4,000 feet and 7,000 feet and lies between the Pennsylvanian-aged Morrow formation and the Devonian-aged Woodford Shale formation. Effective as of January 1, 2012, the royalty interests was conveyed from SandRidge's interest in the Producing Wells and the Development Wells. The royalty interest in the Producing Wells (the PDP Royalty Interest) entitles the trust to receive 80% of the proceeds from the sale of production of oil and natural gas attributable to SandRidge's net revenue interest in the Producing Wells. The royalty interest in the Development Wells (the Development Royalty Interest) entitles the trust to receive 70% of the proceeds from the sale of oil and natural gas production attributable to SandRidge's net revenue interest in the Development Wells.

As of December 31, 2011, the total proved reserves estimated to be attributable to t! he trust were 26.1 million barrels of oil equivalent. This amount includes 10.2 million barrels of oil equivalent attributable to the PDP Royalty Interest and 15.9 million barrels of oil equivalent attributable to the Development Royalty Interest. The proved reserves consist of 46.8% oil and 53.2% natural gas. In addition, as of December 31, 2011, there were 9.8 million barrels of oil equivalent of probable reserves estimated to be attributable to the trust, all of which were attributable to the Development Royalty Interest. The probable reserves consist of 46.9% oil and 53.1% natural gas.

SandRidge will retain 20% of the proceeds from the sale of oil and natural gas attributable to its net revenue interest in the Producing Wells, as well as 30% of the proceeds from the sale of future production attributable to its net revenue interest in the Development Wells. SandRidge initially will own 48.2% of the trust units. SandRidge operates 79% of the Producing Wells. The completed Producing Wells and 121 other Mississippian wells outside of the AMI that have been completed by SandRidge have an average perforated length of approximately 4,200 feet. SandRidge Exploration and Production, LLC (SandRidge E&P), a wholly owned subsidiary of SandRidge, will grant to the trust a lien on its interests in the AMI.

The Underlying Properties are located in Noble, Kay, Alfalfa, Grant and Woods counties in northern Oklahoma and Harper, Comanche, Sumner and Barber counties in southern Kansas in the Mississippian formation, which is an expansive carbonate hydrocarbon system located on the Anadarko Shelf. The Mississippian formation can reach 1,000 feet in gross thickness and the targeted porosity zone is between 50 and 100 feet in thickness. As of December 31, 2011, there were approximately 43 horizontal rigs drilling in the formation, with 19 of those rigs drilling for SandRidge. As of December 31, 2011, SandRidge had approximately 1.5 million net acres leased in the Mississippian formation in north! ern Oklah! oma and Kansas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Adam Galas]

  As pointed out by my colleague Matt DiLallo in this article comparing SandRidge Energy (NYSE: SD  ) and SandRidge Mississippian Trust II (NYSE: SDR  ) , SandRidge Energy's trusts were established as mere financing vehicles for the parent company to invest in its own drilling program. For example, SandRidge Energy has plans to invest $1.55 billion annually in its Mississippi lime assets through 2016 in order to grow production by 20%-25% annually (in spite of expected decline rates of 35% in 2014, 20% in 2015, and 15% in 2016).

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  SandRidge Mississippian Trust I (NYSE: SDT  ) and Trust II (NYSE: SDR  )
  These trusts were created by SandRidge Energy (NYSE: SD  ) , with the first Mississippian Trust formed in 2010 and the second formed one year later. Both trusts own royalty interests in oil and gas properties targeting the Mississippian formation and have future upside as SandRidge drills wells as part of the areas of mutual interest.

Best Gas Companies To Own In Right Now: Statoil ASA (STO)

Statoil ASA (Statoil), incorporated on September 18, 1972, is an integrated energy company primarily engaged in oil and gas exploration and production activities. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had business operations in 41 countries and territories. Effective from January 1, 2011, the Company�� segments were Development and Production Norway; Development and Production International; Marketing, Processing and Renewable Energy; Fuel & Retail, Other. As of 31 December 2011, the Company had proved reserves of 2,276 million barrels (mmbbl) and 3,150 billion cubic meters (bcm) (equivalent to 17,681 trillion cubic feet (tcf)) of natural gas, corresponding to aggregate proved reserves of 5,426 mmboe. In December 2011, the Company acquired Brigham Exploration Company. On April 14, 2011, Statoil's formation of a joint venture and sale of 40% of the Peregrino field off the coast of Brazil to the Sinochem Group was closed. With effect from January 2011, Statoil formed a joint venture with PTTEP of Thailand in its oil sands business and, as part of that transaction, sold PTTEP a 40% interest in the leases in Alberta, Canada. Statoil retains 60% ownership and operatorship of the oil sands project. In June 2012, the Company divested its 54% interest in Statoil Fuel & Retail ASA to Alimentation Couche-Tard.

Development and Production Norway

Development and Production Norway (DPN) consists of the Company�� field development and operational activities on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). Development and Production Norway is the operator of 44 developed fields on the NCS. Statoil's equity and entitlement production on the NCS was 1.316 mmboe per day in 2011, which was about 71% of Statoil's total production. Acting as operator, DPN is responsible for approximately 72% of all oil and gas production on the NCS. In 2011, its average daily production of oil and natural gas liquids (NGL) on the NCS was 693 mboe, while its average daily gas production on the NCS was 99.1 mmcm (3.5 b! illion cubic feet (bcf)). The Company has an ownership interests in exploration acreage throughout the licensed parts of the NCS, both within and outside its production areas. It participates in 227 licenses on the NCS and is the operator for 171 of them. As of 31 December 2011, Statoil had a total of 1,369 mmbbl of proved oil reserves and 444 bcm (15.7 tcf) of proved natural gas reserves on the NCS. Total entitlement liquids and gas production in 2011 amounted to 1,316 mmboe per day.

Statoil's NCS portfolio consists of licenses in the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea. It has organized its production operations into four business clusters: Operations South, Operations North Sea West, Operations North Sea East and Operations North. The Operations South and Operations North Sea West and East clusters cover its licenses in the North Sea. Operations North covers the Company�� licenses in the Norwegian Sea and in the Barents Sea, while partner-operated fields cover the entire NCS and are included internally in the Operations South business cluster. During 2011, it two Statoil-operated oil discoveries: the Aldous discovery (PL265) in the North Sea and the Skrugard discovery (PL532) in the Barents Sea. The Aldous Major South discovery in PL265 on the Utsira Height in the Sleipner area is situated 140 kilometers west of Stavanger and 35 kilometers south of the Grane field. The Skrugard discovery is located about 250 kilometers off the coast from the Melkoya LNG plant in Hammerfest.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� fields under development included the Gudrun, Valemon, Visund South, Hyme, Stjerne, Vigdis North-East, Skuld, Vilje South, Skarv, and Marulk. In 2011, the Company�� total entitlement oil and NGL production in Norway was 252 mmbbl, and gas production was 36.2 bcm (1,287 bcf). The main producing fields in the Operations South area are Statfjord, Snorre, Tordis, Vigdis, Sleipner and partner-operated fields. Operations North Sea East is a gas area tha! t also co! ntains quantities of oil. The area includes the Troll, Fram, Vega, Oseberg and Tune fields. The Company�� producing fields in the Operations North area are Asgard, Mikkel, Yttergryta, Heidrun, Kristin, Tyrihans, Norne, Urd, Alve, Njord, Snohvit and Morvin.

Development and Production International

Development and Production International (DPI) is responsible for the development and production of oil and gas outside the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). In 2011, the segment was engaged in production in 12 countries: Canada, the United States, Brazil, Venezuela, Angola, Nigeria, Iran, Algeria, Libya, Azerbaijan, Russia and the United Kingdom. In 2011, DPI produced 28.9% of Statoil's total equity production of oil and gas. Statoil has exploration licenses in North America (Gulf of Mexico, Canada and Alaska), South America and sub-Saharan Africa (Brazil, Cuba, Suriname, Venezuela, Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania), Middle East and North Africa (Libya and Iran) and Europe and Asia (the Faeroes, Greenland, the United Kingdom, Azerbaijan and Indonesia). The main sanctioned development projects in which DPI is involved are in the United States, Angola and Canada. The Brigham Exploration Company acquisition added production of approximately 21 mboe per day (as of December) to Statoil's production and gave access to 1,500 square kilometers (375,000 acres) in the Bakken and Three Forks formations in the Williston Basin.

The Company has exploration licenses in North America (Gulf of Mexico, Canada and Alaska), South America and sub-Saharan Africa (Brazil, Cuba, Suriname, Venezuela, Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania), Middle East and North Africa (Libya and Iran), and Europe and Asia (the Faroes, Greenland, the United Kingdom, Azerbaijan and Indonesia). It completed 16 wells in 2011. Five were announced as discoveries: the Mukuvo and Lira discoveries in Angola, the Gavea and Peregrino South discovery in Brazil and the Logan discovery in Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Statoil acquired in! terests i! n six new licenses in Indonesia in 2011. Statoil has activities in the United States, with approximately 300 exploration leases in the GoM and 66 in Alaska. It is also an operator and partner in exploration licenses off the coast of Newfoundland in Canada. Statoil is operator and partner in exploration licenses off the coast of Newfoundland (11,138 square kilometers). It has exploration licenses in Brazil, Cuba, Suriname, Venezuela, Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania. The Company has licenses in Libya, Iran, Faroes, Greenland, the United Kingdom, Azerbaijan and Indonesia. In 2011, Statoil's petroleum production outside Norway amounted to an average of 334 mboe per day of entitlement production and 534 mboe per day of equity production.

The Company has activities in the United States Gulf of Mexico, the Appalachian region, south-west Texas, the Williston Basin, off the East Coast of Canada and in the oil sands of Alberta, Canada. It also has a representative office in Mexico City. Offshore, the Company has production interests in Hibernia and Terra Nova, and interests in two development projects. Its development and production activities in South America and sub-Saharan Africa comprise the Peregrino operatorship in Brazil, the Petrocedeno project in Venezuela, the Agbami offshore field in Nigeria and four Angolan offshore blocks. Statoil's development and production in the Middle East and North Africa in 2011, primarily encompassed Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Iran and Iraq. The Company�� Development and Production in Europe and Asia primarily comprises Azerbaijan, Russia, United Kingdom and Ireland.

Marketing, Processing and Renewable Energy

Marketing, Processing and Renewable Energy (MPR) is responsible for the transportation, processing, manufacturing, marketing and trading of crude oil, natural gas, liquids and refined products, and for developing business opportunities in renewables. It runs two refineries, two gas processing plants, one methanol plant and three crude! oil term! inals. MPR is also responsible for marketing gas supplies originating from the Norwegian state's direct financial interest (SDFI). In total, it is responsible for marketing approximately 80% of all Norwegian gas exports. In 2011, Statoil sold 36.1 bcm (1.3 tcf) of natural gas from the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) on its own behalf, in addition to approximately 33.5 bcm (1.2 tcf) of NCS gas on behalf of the Norwegian state. Statoil's total European gas sales, including third-party gas, amounted to 79.8 bcm (2.9 tcf) in 2011, of which 39.5 bcm (1.4 tcf) was gas sold on behalf of the Norwegian state. The Natural Gas business cluster is responsible for Statoil's marketing and trading of natural gas worldwide, for power and emissions trading and for overall gas supply planning. In 2011, the Company sold 36.1 bcm (1.3 tcf) of natural gas from the NCS on its own behalf, in addition to approximately 33.5 bcm (1.2 tcf) of NCS gas on behalf of the Norwegian state. Statoil's total European gas sales, including third-party gas, amounted to 79.8 bcm (2.9 tcf) in 2011, of which 39.5 bcm (1.4 tcf) was gas sold on behalf of the Norwegian state. In addition, it sold 5.5 bcm (0.2 tcf) of gas originating from its international positions, mainly in Azerbaijan and the United States, of which 2.7 bcm (0.1 tcf) was entitlement gas. As technical service provider (TSP), Statoil is responsible for the operation, maintenance and further development of the Karsto gas processing plant on behalf of the operator Gassco.

Statoil is the seller of crude oil, operating from sales offices in Stavanger, Oslo, London, Singapore, Stamford and Calgary and selling and trading crude oil, condensate, NGL and refined products. Statoil holds the lease for the South Riding Point crude oil terminal in the Bahamas, which includes, oil storage as well as loading and unloading facilities. It also operates the Mongstad terminal and has shared ownership with Petoro. The Company is a majority owner (79%) and operator of the Mongstad ref! inery in ! Norway, which has a crude oil and condensate distillation capacity of 220,000 barrels per day. It is the sole owner and operator of the Kalundborg refinery in Denmark, which has a crude oil and condensate distillation capacity of 118,000 barrels per day. In addition, it has rights to 10% of production capacity at the Shell-operated refinery in Pernis in the Netherlands, which has a crude oil distillation capacity of 400,000 barrels per day. The Company�� methanol operations consist of an 81.7% interest in the gas-based methanol plant at Tjeldbergodden, Norway, which has a design capacity of 0.95 million tons per year. It also operates the Oseberg Transportation System (36.2% interest), including the Sture crude oil terminal.

Technology, Projects and Drilling

Technology, Projects and Drilling (TPD) is responsible, as a global service provider to Statoil, for delivering projects and wells and for providing support through global expertise, standards and procurement. TPD is also responsible developing and implementing new technological solutions. Statoil's research and development portfolio is organized in seven programs covering the upstream building blocks. The research and development organization operates and develops laboratories and test facilities and has an academia program that addresses cooperation with universities and research institutes.

Global Strategy and Business Development

Global Strategy and Business Development (GSB) was established in 2011, with its main office in London. GSB sets the direction for Statoil and identifies, develops and delivers opportunities for global growth.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Rapier]

  Twenty-thirteen opened with one of Royal Dutch Shell’s (NYSE: RDS-A) two Arctic drilling rigs breaking free from a tow ship and running aground off the coast of Alaska. Shell sent the two Arctic drilling rigs to Asia for extensive repairs. The accident prompted more calls for restrictions on oil exploration in the Arctic. Shell wants to try again in 2014, but Senate Democrats are asking for a delay in further Arctic oil exploration.

  Nevertheless, oil companies rushed north to explore for oil. Norway awarded 24 oil and gas exploration licences to 29 companies, mostly in the Arctic Barents Sea. The licenses were scooped up by international majors like Shell, BP (NYSE: BP), ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP), Total (NYSE: TOT) and Statoil (NYSE: STO), in hopes of reviving Norway’s falling oil production.
  

  Other Arctic nations are also pushing forward with plans for oil exploration in the Arctic. Russia has aggressively defended its interests there, seizing a Greenpeace ship and detaining its crew after the group attempted to interfere with Russia’s Arctic drilling.

• [By Dominic Chopping]

  Norwegian oil and gas major Statoil ASA (STO) said Thursday it has made a gas discovery in the Kramsno prospect in the Barents Sea, but the exploration program around the Johan Castberg field has so far not delivered expected oil volumes.

Best Gas Companies To Own In Right Now: Total SA (FP)

Total SA is a France-based integrated international oil and gas company. It is an integrated international oil and gas company and a chemicals manufacturer. Total engages in all aspects of the petroleum industry, including Upstream operations (oil exploration and production, together with activities related to natural gas), Refining & Chemicals (refining, petrochemicals, speciality chemicals, crude oil trading and shipping) and Marketing & Services (focused on the supply and sale of petroleum products, together with activities related to renewable energy). In April 12, 2013, it inaugurated the partnership with Veolia Environnement SA the Osilub plant. In July 2013, it sold its TIGF (Transport et Infrastructures Gaz France), gas transport and storage business. In September 2013, it announced the transfer to The National Gas Company of Trinidad &Tobago of all of its E&P assets in Trinidad through the sale of Total E&P Trinidad B.V and Elf Exploration Trinidad B.V. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  Lloyds dropped 3.5 percent after the U.K. government sold a 3.2 billion-pound ($5.1 billion) stake in the lender. Continental and Galp Energia SGPS SA fell at least 2.5 percent as investors sold shares in the companies. Total SA (FP) retreated 1.3 percent following a report that Groupe Bruxelles Lambert SA may dispose of its 4 percent stake in the French oil producer.

• [By Namitha Jagadeesh]

  Telecom Italia (TIT) SpA gained 1.7 percent as Telefonica SA agreed to increase its stake in the phone operator. Nokia Oyj added 2.4 percent after a U.S. judge found that HTC Corp. violated two of its patents. Total (FP) SA climbed 2.6 percent after Barclays Plc raised its rating on the oil producer. Burckhardt Compression Holding AG slid 7.3 percent after saying fiscal first-half net income will decline from the year-earlier period.

Best Gas Companies To Own In Right Now: CVR Refining LP (CVRR)

CVR Refining, LP, incorporated on September 17, 2012, is an energy limited partnership with refining and related logistics assets that operates in the mid-continent region. As of January 8, 2013, the Company owned two of only seven refineries in the underserved Group 3 of the PADD II region of the United States. It owns and operates a 115,000 barrels per day (bpd) coking medium-sour crude oil refinery in Coffeyville, Kansas and a 70,000 bpd medium complexity crude oil refinery in Wynnewood, Oklahoma capable of processing 20,000 bpd of light sour crude oils (within its 70,000 bpd capacity). In addition, it also controls and operates supporting logistics assets, including approximately 350 miles of owned pipelines, over 125 owned crude oil transports, a network of strategically located crude oil gathering tank farms, and over six million barrels of owned and leased crude oil storage capacity. On December 15, 2011, the Company�� subsidiary Coffeyville Resources, LLC (Coffeyville Resources) acquired Wynnewood Energy Company, LLC, formerly Gary-Williams Energy Corporation.

The Company�� Coffeyville and Wynnewood refineries are located approximately 100 miles and 130 miles from the crude oil hub at Cushing, Oklahoma. As of January 8, 2013, the Company gathered approximately 50,000 bpd of price-advantaged crudes from its gathering area, which includes Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas. The Company also has 35,000 bpd of contracted capacity on the Keystone and Spearhead pipelines that allows it to supply price-advantaged Canadian and Bakken crudes to its refineries. As of January 8, 2013, the Company had 145,000 bpd pipeline system that transports crude oil from its Broome Station tank farm to its Coffeyville refinery, as well as a total of 6 million barrels of owned and leased crude oil storage capacity, including approximately 6% of the total crude oil storage capacity at Cushing.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Rapier]

  CVR Partners’ fertilizer plant is located in Coffeyville, Kansas, adjacent to the refinery owned by CVR Refining (NYSE: CVRR). CVR Energy (NYSE: CVI), majority-owned by Carl Icahn via Icahn Enterprises (NYSE: IEP), is the general partner and owns most of the units for both CVR Partners and CVR Refining.

Best Gas Companies To Own In Right Now: Helmerich & Payne Inc (HP)

Helmerich & Payne, Inc., incorporated on February 29, 1944, is engaged in contract drilling of oil and gases wells for others and this business. The Company's contract drilling business is composed of three reportable business segments: U.S. Land, Offshore and International Land. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company's U.S. Land operations drilled in Oklahoma, California, Texas, Wyoming, Colorado, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Utah, Arkansas, New Mexico, Montana, North Dakota and West Virginia. Offshore operations were conducted in the Gulf of Mexico, and offshore of California, Trinidad and Equatorial Guinea. During fiscal 2012, the Company's International Land segment operated in six international locations: Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, Tunisia, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates. The Company is also engaged in the ownership, development and operation of commercial real estate and the research and development of rotary steerable technology. Each of the businesses operates independently of the others through wholly owned subsidiaries. The Company's real estate investments located exclusively within Tulsa, Oklahoma, include a shopping center containing approximately 441,000 leasable square feet, multi-tenant industrial warehouse properties containing approximately one million leasable square feet and approximately 210 acres of undeveloped real estate. The Company's subsidiary, TerraVici Drilling Solutions, Inc. (TerraVici), is developing rotary steerable technology. As of September 30, 2012, it had 176 rigs under fixed-term contracts. During fiscal 2012, the Company leased a 150,000 square foot industrial facility near Tulsa, Oklahoma for the purpose of overhauling/repairing rig equipment and associated component parts.

U.S. Land Drilling

As of September 30, 2012, the Company had 282 of its land rigs available for work in the United States. During fiscal 2012, the Company's U.S. Land operations contributed approximately 85% of the Compan! y's consolidated operating revenues. During fiscal 2012, rig utilization was approximately 89%. During fiscal 2012, the Company's fleet of FlexRigs had an average utilization of approximately 97%, while the Company's conventional and mobile rigs had an average utilization of approximately 11%. As of September 31, 2012, 231 out of an available 282 land rigs were working.

Off Shore Drilling

During fiscal 2012, the Company's Offshore operations contributed approximately 6% of the Company's consolidated operating revenues. During fiscal 2012, rig utilization was approximately 79%. During fiscal 2012, the Company had eight of its nine offshore platform rigs under contract and continued to work under management contracts for four customer-owned rigs. During fiscal 2012, revenues from drilling services performed for the Company's offshore drilling customer totaled approximately 56% of offshore revenues.

International Land Drilling

During fiscal 2012, the Company's International Land operations contributed approximately 9% of the Company's consolidated operating revenues. During fiscal 2012, rig utilization was 77%. As of September 30, 2012, the Company had nine rigs in Argentina. During fiscal 2012, the Company's utilization rate was approximately 52%. During fiscal 2012, revenues generated by Argentine drilling operations contributed approximately 2% of the Company's consolidated operating revenues. The Argentine drilling contracts are with international or national oil companies. As of September 30, 2012, the Company had seven rigs in Colombia. During fiscal 2012, the Company's utilization rate was approximately 79%. During fiscal 2012, revenues generated by Colombian drilling operations contributed approximately 3% of the Company's consolidated operating revenues. During fiscal 2012, revenues from drilling services performed for the Company's customer in Colombia totaled approximately 1% of consolidated operating revenues and approximately 16% of inter! national ! operating revenues. The Colombian drilling contracts are with international or national oil companies. As of September 30, 2012, the Company had five rigs in Ecuador. During fiscal 2012, the utilization rate in Ecuador was 97%. During fiscal 2012, revenues generated by Ecuadorian drilling operations contributed approximately 2% of consolidated operating revenues. As of September 30, 2012, the Company had two rigs in Tunisia, four rigs in Bahrain and two rigs in United Arab Emirates.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.GURUFOCUS.COM]

  Shares of Helmerich & Payne, Inc. (HP), the leading land drilling contractor in the U.S., rose significantly in the first quarter. Over the past three years, Helmerich's market share has increased to 23% from 16%, while generating higher margins and returns than its main competitors. Its share price benefited from growing optimism that U.S. horizontal drilling activity will increase, spurring customer demand for new rigs. Helmerich also signed its biggest international contract in a decade in the first quarter. Helmerich is a best-in-class operator and remains a core position. (James Stone)

• [By Editor , EnergyStockChannel.com]

  So when dividend stocks turn up that see insider buying, and are also top ranked, investors are wise to take notice. One such company is Helmerich & Payne (HP) which saw buying by Director Thomas A. Petrie.

Best Gas Companies To Own In Right Now: Imperial Oil Limited(IMO)

Imperial Oil Limited engages in the exploration, production, and sale of crude oil and natural gas in Canada. The company operates through three segments: Upstream, Downstream, and Chemical. The Upstream segment engages in the exploration and production of conventional crude oil, natural gas, synthetic oil, and bitumen primarily in the Western Provinces, the Canada Lands, and the Atlantic Offshore. Its primary conventional oil producing asset includes the Norman Wells oil field in the Northwest Territories. The Downstream segment engages in the transportation and refining of crude oil, as well as blending, distribution, and marketing of refined products. It owns and operates crude oil, and natural gas liquids and products pipelines in Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario. The Chemical segment engages in the manufacture and marketing of various petrochemicals, including ethylene, benzene, aromatic and aliphatic solvents, plasticizer intermediates, and polyethylene resin. As of De cember 31, 2010, Imperial Oil Limited had 1,204 million oil-equivalent barrels of proved undeveloped reserves; maintained a nation-wide distribution system, including 24 primary terminals, to handle bulk and packaged petroleum products moving from refineries to market by pipeline, tanker, rail, and road transport; and sold petroleum products through 1,850 Esso retail service stations, of which approximately 510 were company owned or leased. The company was founded in 1880 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Imperial Oil Limited operates as a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Dube]

  Cold Lake's most notable producers:

  Husky Energy (HUSK.PK), see article here.Pengrowth Energy Corporation (PGH), see article here.Southern Pacific Resource (STPJF.PK), see article here.Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ), see article here.Devon Energy (DVN), see article here.Imperial Oil (IMO), see article here.Baytex, see article here.Bonavista Energy (BNPUF.PK), see article here.

  Athabasca's most notable producers:

• [By Vanin Aegea]

  Two companies that have been around for some time now are Imperial Oil (IMO) and Pembina Pipeline (PBA). Political instability in the Middle East has also given an extra relevance to the reserves found at this region, so let us see what the future holds and what gurus think of them.

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  Ten of Exxon�� major projects are expected to begin pumping energy throughout this year. These include expansions of Imperial Oil�� (IMO) oil sands production in Canada, new deepwater wells in the Gulf of Mexico as well as finally seeing production from its partnership in Russia. XOM �will start producing oil from the largest offshore oil and gas platform in that nation within a few months. These projects will add about 300,000 barrels per oil equivalent per day to Exxon�� production.