Hot Energy Stocks To Invest In 2014

Investors following the North American oil and gas industry should be aware that oil production volumes from the Eagle Ford shale play have blown past expectations this year.

According to the Texas Railroad Commission, crude oil production from the Eagle Ford region averaged more than half a million barrels per day for the first quarter of 2013. This is a whopping 34% increase from 2012 production levels and is also the highest since the south Texas play hit oil in 2008. Energy research firm Wood Mackenzie estimates that total Eagle Ford capital expenditure will hit $28 billion in 2013. It's pretty evident that the value extracted by major operators is exceeding expectations. However, this shouldn't come as a big surprise, either. In the last couple of years, exploration and production companies have been quietly raking up acreage in this shale play.

The movers and shakers
Marathon Oil (NYSE: MRO  ) increased its stake to 330,000 net acres in the liquids-rich window of the Eagle Ford. For the first quarter, average net sales volumes from this acreage stood at 72,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day�-- a fourfold increase year over year. Still in the growth phase, the company should be further increasing production where this property is concerned. This shale play should have a major role in increasing Marathon's overall production volumes in the next three years.

10 Best Stocks For 2015: MEG Energy Corp (MEGEF.PK)

MEG Energy Corp. is a Canada-based oil sands company focused on in situ development and production in the southern Athabasca oil sands region of Alberta. The Company has identified two steam assisted gravity drainage projects, the Christina Lake project and the Surmont project. The Company owns a 100% interest in over 900 sections of oil sands leases in the Athabasca region of northern Alberta and is primarily engaged in a steam assisted gravity drainage oil sands development at its 80 section Christina Lake Regional Project (Christina Lake Project). The development includes co-ownership of Access Pipeline, a dual pipeline to transport diluent north from the Edmonton area to the Athabasca oil sands area and a blend of bitumen and diluent south from the Christina Lake Project into the Edmonton area. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Dube]

  Athabasca's most notable producers:

  Suncor Energy (SU) (Part 1), see article here.Suncor Energy (Part 2), see article here.Athabasca Oil (ATHOF.PK), see article here.Canadian Natural Resources, see article here.Imperial Oil, see article here.Cenovus Energy (CVE), see article here.MEG Energy (MEGEF.PK), see article here.Devon Energy, see article here.Royal Dutch Shell, see article here.Ivanhoe Energy (IVAN), see article here.Nexen (CNOOC) (CEO), see article here.

  An analysis of the current operations of the company will be examined with the objective to provide the most complete information available to potential investors before deciding to seize the opportunity that the 54,132 square miles of the Carbonate Triangle has to offer. Let's start by introducing Athabasca, a famous and most prolific region in the Canadian oil sands as well as one of the largest reserve in the world.

Hot Energy Stocks To Invest In 2014: Seadrill Partners LLC (SDLP)

Seadrill Partners LLC (Seadrill Partners) is a limited liability company. The Company was formed to own, operate and acquire offshore drilling rigs. The Company�� drilling rigs are under long-term contracts with oil companies, such as Chevron, Total, BP and ExxonMobil with an average remaining term of 3.1 years as of June 30, 2012. The Company is also a holding company. The Company conducts its operations through its subsidiaries. In May 2013, SeaDrill Ltd sold T-15 tender rig to Seadrill Partners LLC.

The Company�� wholly owned subsidiary, Seadrill Operating GP LLC, the general partner of Seadrill Operating LP, will manage Seadrill Operating LP�� operations and activities. The Company is also an international offshore drilling contractor.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Rapier]

  The other oilfield services partnership is one we are asked about frequently,�Seadrill Partners�(NYSE: SDLP). SDLP is a growth-oriented limited liability company (LLC) formed in 2012 by�Seadrill�(NYSE: SDRL), one of the world’s largest international offshore drilling contractors. Like its parent, Seadrill Partners is based outside the US, and like several other marine transportation partnerships it has chosen to pay taxes as a corporation. (Why a partnership might opt to pay taxes as a corporation was explained in the March article�Marshalling the Marines.)

Hot Energy Stocks To Invest In 2014: CST Brands Inc (CST)

CST Brands, Inc., incorporated on November 7, 2012 , is a retailer of transportation fuels and convenience goods in North America. As of April 30, 2013, the Company operated 1,032 Corner Stores throughout the United States, including Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona and California. Its stores also provide prepared foods. In May 2013, the Company announced that the Company which includes Corner Store and Depanneur du Coin, spun off from Valero Energy Corporation.

The Company offers a range of products, such as snack foods, tobacco products, beverages and fresh foods, including its own brands: Fresh Choices sandwiches, salads and packaged goods; U Force energy drinks; Cibolo Mountain coffees (the United States); Transit Cafe coffee and bakery (Canada); FC bottled sodas, and Flavors 2 Go fountain sodas. Its Corner Store locations also provide in-store Subway sandwich shops.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ovenerio]

  The company has a current ROE of 14.85% which is higher than the industry median. In general, analysts consider ROE ratios in the 15-20% range as representing attractive levels for investment. So for investors looking those levels or more, AutoNation (AN), CST Brands (CST), Lithia Motors (LAD) and AutoZone (AZO) could be the options. It is very important to understand this metric before investing and it is important to look at the trend in ROE over time.

Hot Energy Stocks To Invest In 2014: Bounty Oil and Gas NL (BUY)

Bounty Oil & Gas NL (Bounty) is an Australia-based company engaged in the exploration, development, production and marketing of oil and gas (petroleum). The Company operates in two segments: Core Petroleum Segment and Secondary Segment. The Core Petroleum Segment is involved in oil and gas exploration, development and production. The Secondary Segment is involved in the Investment in listed securities. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company produced light sweet crude oil from the Murta Zone in the Utopia Field , southwest Queensland and continued to sell the oil to the Eromanga Refinery 50 kilometers north of the field; produced oil from several oil fields and leases operated by Santos Limited in ATP 259P, Naccowlah Block, southwest Queensland, and achieved revenue from sale of listed investments. The Company also operates Nyuni Joint Venture which is offshore Tanzania, East Africa. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By wax]

  Positive (buy) investment interest means that the current key performance indicators (KPIs) favor investment consideration at this time.

  The recent close of $10.01 is approximately 13% below the fair value buy target for the stock and approximately 58% below the fair value close target for the stock. The recent close is also 5% above analysts��twelve-month $9.50 median price target for the stock.

Hot Energy Stocks To Invest In 2014: Range Resources Corporation(RRC)

Range Resources Corporation, an independent natural gas company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of natural gas properties primarily in the Appalachian and southwestern regions of the United States. The company?s Appalachian region drilling and producing activities include tight-gas, shale, coal bed methane, and conventional natural gas and oil production in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, and West Virginia. It owns 4,969 net producing wells, approximately 2,750 miles of gas gathering lines, and approximately 1.8 million gross acres under lease. The company?s Southwestern drilling and producing activities cover the Barnett Shale of North Texas, the Permian Basin of West Texas and eastern New Mexico, the East Texas Basin, the Texas Panhandle, and the Anadarko Basin of Western Oklahoma. It owns 1,954 net producing wells, as well as approximately 886,000 gross acres under lease. As of December 31, 2010, Range Resources Corporation had had 4.4 Tcfe of pr oved reserves. It sells gas to utilities, marketing companies, and industrial users. The company was formerly known as Lomak Petroleum, Inc. and changed its name to Range Resources Corporation in 1998. Range Resources Corporation was founded in 1975 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Travis Hoium]

  What: Shares of Range Resources (NYSE: RRC  ) jumped as much as 12% today after reporting earnings.

  So what: Management said that second-quarter revenue jumped 50% to $673.4 million, and that it earned $0.34 per share. Expectations were for just $420 million in revenue and profit of $0.32 per share, so the results were far better than expected.

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  While that does include Canada, the bulk of these holdings production is priced according to Brent crude benchmarks. Any ��iccups��in Iran�� willingness to comply with rules will benefit these firm�� more than, say, shale producer Range Resources (RRC). At the same time, the U.S.-based holdings in IXC represent some of the largest and globally diverse energy firms on the planet. They��l pick-up plenty of Brent crude gains as well. Expenses for IXC run just 0.48% or $48 per $10,000 invested

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Range Resources Corp. (NYSE: RRC) is another top name to buy for continued possible gains in natural gas. The company holds interests in developed and undeveloped natural gas and oil leases in the Appalachian and Southwestern regions of the United States. Range Resources owns 4,637 net producing wells and approximately 1.6 million gross acres under lease in the Appalachian region. It also owns 1,536 net producing wells and approximately 811,000 gross acres under lease in Southwestern region. Investors are paid a small 0.20% dividend. The Merrill Lynch target is a set at $100, and the consensus figure is at $90.87. Range closed Friday at $86.16. Hitting the target would be a 16% gain.

• [By Victor Selva]

  Competitors such as Sandridge Energy Inc. (SD), Penn Virginia Corp. (PVA), Newfield Exploration Co. (NFX) also have a negative ROE. An alternative could be Cabot Oil &Gas Corp. (COG), Range Resources Corp. (RRC), SM Energy Co. (SM), Pioneer Natural Resources Co. (PXD) or Whiting Petroleum Corp (WLL), Berry Petroleum Co. (BRY), but for investors searching for a higher ratio, Continental Resources Inc. (CLR) will be the best option.

Hot Energy Stocks To Invest In 2014: Oil and Gas Development Co Ltd (OGDC)

Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) is a Pakistan-based company engaged in the exploration and development of oil and gas resources, including production and sale of oil and gas and related activities. As the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012, the Company�� crude oil production was 37,615 barrels of oil per day, and 17 wells were spudded. As of June 30, 2011, the Company operated in 31 exploration blocks (22 blocks with 100% shares including an offshore block, and 12 blocks as operated joint ventures), including 3 offshore blocks. Its projects include Uch-II Development Project, KPD-TAY Integrated Development Project, Jhal Magsi Development Project, Sinjhoro Development Project and Nashpa/ Mela Development Project. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Weiyi Lim]

  Drinkall, whose $83 million Frontier Emerging Markets Portfolio (MFMIX) beat 99 percent of peers tracked by Bloomberg during the past 12 months with a 40 percent gain, said he favors Nigeria because of its economic growth prospects and Pakistan on the nation�� improving political stability. His fund held shares of Lagos-based Dangote Cement Plc (DANGCEM) and Islamabad-based Oil & Gas Development Co. (OGDC) as of April 30, Morgan Stanley�� website shows.