Top 10 Oil Companies To Buy Right Now

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Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE: FCX  ) is expected to report first quarter earnings on April 24 before markets open. On average, analysts estimated the company will earn $0.49 per share on revenue of $5.18 billion. For the past four quarters, however, analysts have been surprised each time as the company reported higher earnings per share than estimates. This time, however, the company could instead surprise to the downside.�

Copper's tarnish
While Freeport-McMoRan has diversified its revenue into oil and gas, the company's cash flow is still anchored by copper. This year the company is banking on copper prices sticking around $3.25 per pound in order to deliver its expected $9 billion in operating cash flow. The issue is that every $0.10 per pound change in the price of copper will impact cash flow by $370 million. As the copper price chart to the right shows, prices plunged toward the end of the quarter, which could have a noticeable impact on Freeport-McMoRan's earnings in this quarter and on its future guidance.

Hot Information Technology Stocks To Own For 2015: Helix Energy Solutions Group Inc (HLX)

Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc.( Helix), incorporated on November 17,1983, is an international offshore energy company that provides specialty services to the offshore energy industry, with a focus on its growing well intervention and robotics operations. The Company had had two business segments: Contracting Services and Production Facilities. Its Contracting Services seek to provide services and methodologies which it believes are critical to developing offshore reservoirs and maximizing production economi regions. Its Production Facilities segment consists of its majority ownership of a dynamically positioned floating production vessel ( Helix Producer I or HP I). In June 2013, Helix Energy Solutions Group Inc closed the previously announced sale of its pipelay vessel, the Caesar, to Trevaskis Ltd.

In January 2012, it sold its oil and gas properties within the Main Pass area of the Gulf of Mexico. On September 26, 2012, the Company sold its pipelay vessel, Intrepid, to Stabbert Maritime Holdings, LLC. On February 6, 2013, it sold Energy Resource Technology GOM, Inc. (ERT), a former wholly-owned United States subsidiary that conducted its oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico.

Contracting Services Operations

The Company provides services and methodologies which it believes are critical to developing offshore reservoirs and maximizing production economics. Its life of field services are segregated into four disciplines: well intervention, robotics, subsea construction and production facilities. It provides a full range of contracting services primarily in the Gulf of Mexico, North Sea, Asia Pacific and West Africa regions primarily in deepwater.

The Company's services include production, which includes inspection, repair and maintenance of production structures, trees, jumpers, risers, pipelines and subsea equipment, well intervention, life of field support and intervention engineering; reclamation and remediation services include pluggin! g and abandonment services, pipeline abandonment services and site inspections; installation of subsea pipelines, flowlines, control umbilicals, manifold assemblies and risers, pipelay and burial, installation and tie-in of riser and manifold assembly, commissioning, testing and inspection, and cable and umbilical lay and connection. It provides oil and natural gas processing services to oil and natural gas companies, primarily those operating in the deepwater of the Gulf of Mexico using its HP I vessel. The HP I is being utilized to process production from the Phoenix.

The Company engineers, manages and conducts well construction, intervention and asset retirement operations in water depths ranging from 200 to 10,000 feet. Three of its vessels serve as work platforms for well intervention services at costs that are typically significantly less than offshore drilling rigs. In the Gulf of Mexico, its multi-service semi-submersible vessel, the Q4000, has set a series of well intervention firsts in increasingly deeper water without the use of a traditional drilling rig. In August 2012, it acquired the Discoverer 534 drillship from a subsidiary of Transocean Ltd.

The Company operates remotely operated vehicles ( ROVs), trenchers and ROVDrills designed for offshore construction and well intervention services. As global marine construction support moves to deeper water. Its chartered vessels add value by supporting deployment of its ROVs. It provides its customers with vessel availability and schedule flexibility to meet the technological challenges of their subsea activities worldwide. Its robotics assets include 49 ROVs, four trencher systems and two ROVDrills. It operate in the Gulf of Mexico, North Sea, Asia Pacific and West Africa regions. It charters four vessels to support its robotics operations and it has engaged additional vessels on short-term (spot) charters as needed. In 2012, its robotics operations had 377 vessel utilization days and 16% of global revenues derived from! alternat! ive energy contracts. Subsea construction services include the use of umbilical lay and pipelay vessels and ROVs to develop fields in the deepwater.

The Company owns interests in two production facilities in hub locations where there is potential for subsea tieback activity. It has invested in two over-sized facilities that allow the operators of these fields to tie back without burdening the operator of the hub reservoir. It owns a 50% interest in Deepwater Gateway, which owns the Marco Polo TLP located in 4,300 feet of water in the Gulf of Mexico. It also owns a 20% interest in Independence Hub which owns the Independence Hub platform, a 105-foot deep draft, semi-submersible platform located in a water depth of 8,000 feet that serves as a regional hub for up to one billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas production per day from multiple ultra-deepwater fields in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

The Company competes with Oceaneering International, Inc., Saipem S.p.A., Fugro N.V., DOF ASA, Aker Solutions ASA, Subsea 7 S.A., Technip, McDermott International, Inc., Island Offshore and Edison Chouest Offshore Companies.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Smith]

  Helix Energy Solutions Group (NYSE: HLX  )
  At $2.70 billion in market capitalization, Helix is equidistant between Flotek and Superior from a size perspective. The company operates through two segments: contracting services and production facilities.

• [By GuruFocus]

  Helix Energy Solutions Group Inc (HLX): PRESIDENT & CEO Owen E Kratz Bought 50,000 Shares PRESIDENT & CEO of Helix Energy Solutions Group Inc (HLX) Owen E Kratz bought 50,000 shares on 10/24/2013 at an average price of $24.03. Helix Energy Solutions Group Inc has a market cap of $2.54 billion; its shares were traded at around $24.03 with and P/S ratio of 2.96.

Top 10 Oil Companies To Buy Right Now: Matador Resources Co (MTDR)

Matador Resources Company is an independent energy company engaged in the exploration, development, production and acquisition of oil and natural gas resources in the United States, with an emphasis on oil and natural gas shale and other unconventional plays. Its operations are focused primarily on the oil and liquids-rich portion of the Eagle Ford shale play in South Texas and the Wolfcamp and Bone Spring plays in the Permian Basin in Southeast New Mexico and West Texas. The Company also operates in the Haynesville shale and Cotton Valley plays in Northwest Louisiana and East Texas. In addition, it has a large exploratory leasehold position in Southwest Wyoming and adjacent areas of Utah and Idaho where it is testing the Meade Peak shale.

As of December 31, 2012, the Company owned a 100% working interest in approximately 26,900 gross acres and 24,100 net acres in Gonzales, Karnes, LaSalle, Wilson and Zavala Counties and a 50% working interest in approximately 2,800 gross and 1,400 net acres in DeWitt County and are the operator of this acreage. It also owns an approximate 21% working interest in approximately 12,800 gross acres in Atascosa County operated by EOG Resources, Inc.

South Texas

The Company focuses on the exploration and development of its Eagle Ford shale properties in South Texas. During 2012, the Company completed and began producing oil and natural gas from 28 gross/24.5 net operated Eagle Ford shale wells, including 25 gross/23.7 net operated and 3 gross/0.8 net non-operated Eagle Ford shale wells. During 2012, 43% of its daily production, or 3,908 barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) per day, including 3,246 one stock tank barrel (Bbl) of oil per day and 4.0 one million cubic feet of natural gas (MMcf) of natural gas per day, was produced from the Eagle Ford shale in South Texas. During 2012, the Company drilled and completed a total of 32 gross/30.5 net Eagle Ford wells on its operated properties. As of December 31, 2012, its aggregate leasehold int! erests consisted of approximately 42,500 gross acres and 27,900 net acres in the Eagle Ford shale play in Atascosa, DeWitt, Gonzales, Karnes, LaSalle, Wilson and Zavala Counties in South Texas.

Northwest Louisiana and East Texas

During 2012, bout 56% of its average daily production, or 5,042 BOE per day, including 31 Bbl of oil per day and 30.1 MMcf of natural gas per day, was from its leasehold interests in Northwest Louisiana and East Texas. For the year ended December 31, 2012, about 76% of its daily natural gas production, or 26.0 MMcf of natural gas per day, was produced from the Haynesville shale, with another 12%, or 4.1 MMcf of natural gas per day, produced from the Cotton Valley and other shallower formations in this area. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had leasehold and mineral interests in approximately 22,300 gross and 14,200 net acres prospective for the Haynesville shale.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Heading into today, Matador Resources (MTDR) had gained 40% so far this year, as the competitor to Anadarko Petroleum (APC) and EOG Resources (EOG) has boosted oil & gas revenue and oil production. Make that 32% after Matador Resources announced a secondary offering.

Top 10 Oil Companies To Buy Right Now: Gran Tierra Energy Inc (GTE)

Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (Gran Tierra) is an independent international energy company engaged in oil and gas acquisition, exploration, development and production. Gran Tierra owns oil and gas properties in Colombia, Argentina, Peru and Brazil. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company focused on development of producing fields and generation of exploration prospects in Colombia, including the acquisition of three blocks in the Petrolifera acquisition and the acquisition of a working interest in the Llanos 22 Block. It delivers its oil to Ecopetrol S.A. (Ecopetrol) through its transportation facilities, which include pipelines, gathering systems and trucking. On March 18, 2011, the Company acquired of all the issued and outstanding common shares and warrants of Petrolifera Petroleum Limited (Petrolifera). Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Caiman Valores]

  The volume of Whitecap's proved and probable reserves also compares favorably to many of the company's peers, as shown by the chart below being higher than similarly sized Canadian peers Gran Tierra Energy (GTE) and Petrominerales (PMGLF.PK).

• [By Richard Moroney]

  Based in Canada, Gran Tierra Energy (GTE) explores for oil and gas in Colombia, Argentina, Peru, and Brazil. In August, management raised its full-year production guidance, with the midpoint implying 27% growth.

Top 10 Oil Companies To Buy Right Now: Pinecrest Energy Inc (PNCGF.PK)

Pinecrest Energy Inc. (Pinecrest), formerly Antler Creek Energy Corp., is a Canada-based junior oil and gas exploration company. Pinecrest is engaged in the acquisition, exploitation and development of petroleum and natural gas-related assets primarily in Western Sedimentary Basin. During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2010 (fiscal 2010), Pinecrest was engaged in two (0.4 net) wells that were drilled in the southeast Saskatchewan Bakken. On July 14, 2010, the Company acquired the Loon Properties. On July 14, 2010, Pinecrest acquired the Red Earth #1 Properties. On July 15, 2010, the Company acquired the Red Earth #2 Properties. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MLP Trader]

  Here are the current top five companies in the list:

  CompanySymbolEV/BOEPD/NetbackPrice/NAVEV/DACFPinecrest(PNCGF.PK)53564%4.0XLightstream(LSTMF.PK)131753%4.5XNovus(NOVUF.PK)133290%4.1XZargon(ZARFF.PK)138664%5.6XTwin Butte(TBTEF.PK)155885%5.5X

  Of the larger companies, one that remains obstinately near the top of the list is Lightstream . Lightstream trades at 40% of its book value and a whopping 13.4% yield.

Top 10 Oil Companies To Buy Right Now: Legacy Oil + Gas Inc (LEGPF.PK)

Legacy Oil + Gas Inc. (Legacy) is engaged in exploration, exploitation and development drilling for oil and natural gas reserves. Legacy's wholly owned subsidiary, Legacy Oil & Gas ND, Inc., holds properties and operates in the State of North Dakota. Its Southeast Saskatchewan properties are located in an area ranging from approximately 130 to 290 kilometers southeast of the city of Regina, Saskatchewan. Legacy has an average working interest of approximately 75% in 24,576 gross (18,647 net) acres of undeveloped land at Taylorton. It has an average working interest of approximately 70% in 32,959 gross (22,938 net) acres of undeveloped land in the Viewfield Bakken play with properties at Stoughton, Heward and Star Valley. On January 1, 2011, it amalgamated with its wholly owned subsidiaries Legacy VRI Ltd. and Legacy TV Ltd. In April 2013, it closed the acquisition of Villanova Oil Corp. (Villanova) and the acquisition of light oil assets. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Value Digger]

  To open up new Cardium opportunities, Manitok is also expanding to the Southern Alberta Foothills, where it plans to drill the first well of the farm-in with Legacy Oil & Gas (LEGPF.PK) before year end. Legacy Oil has a 99% average working interest in the Farm-in Lands prior to Manitok earning. Manitok will pay 100% of the cost to drill, complete and equip one horizontal Cardium oil well in order to earn 70% of Legacy's working interest, in a small block of land within the Farm-in Lands. If Manitok drills, completes and equips 3 horizontal Cardium oil wells at 100% of the cost, it will earn the entire 70% of working interest in Legacy's Farm-in Lands.

Top 10 Oil Companies To Buy Right Now: PDC Energy Inc (PDCE)

PDC Energy, Inc. (PDC), incorporated on March 25, 1955, doing business as PDC Energy, is a domestic independent exploration and production company, which acquires, develops, explores, and produces natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and crude oil. Its Western Operating Region is focused on development in the Wattenberg Field in Colorado, particularly in the liquid-rich horizontal Niobrara play and on the ongoing development of refractures and recompletions of its Wattenberg wells. In its Eastern Operating Region, it is focused on development activity in the liquid-rich portion of the Utica Shale play in Ohio. The Company owns an interest in approximately 7,200 gross producing wells and maintained an average production rate of 135.6 One million cubic feet of natural gas volume (MMcfe) per day for the year ended December 31, 2012, which was comprised of 65.3% natural gas, 10.2% NGLs and 24.5% crude oil. It divides its operating activities into two segments: Oil and Gas Exploration and Production, and Gas Marketing. It divides its Western Operating Region into two areas: the Wattenberg Field and Piceance Basin. On February 28, 2012, the Company divested its Permian Basin assets. In May 2012, it announced that it has executed a definitive agreement to acquire Core Wattenberg assets that contain liquid-rich horizontal drilling opportunities. The effective date of the transaction is April 1, 2012. The assets are located in the Core Wattenberg Field of Weld and Adams Counties, Colorado and are approximately 94%-operated. The acquired assets include an estimated 35,000 net acres prospective for horizontal development of the Niobrara and Codell formations. In July 2012, the Company acquired core Wattenberg assets. In September 2012, Miller Energy Resources, Inc. acquired its Tennessee assets. On June 18, 2013, PDC Energy Inc announced that it has sold its non-core Colorado natural gas assets.

Oil and Gas Exploration and Production

The Company�� Oil and Gas Exploration and Prod! uction segment reflects revenues and expenses from the production and sale of natural gas, NGLs and crude oil. It sells its natural gas to marketers, utilities, industrial end-users and other wholesale purchasers. It sells natural gas, which it produces under contracts with indexed or New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) monthly pricing provisions with the remaining production sold under contracts with daily pricing provisions. Its contracts include provisions wherein prices change monthly with changes in the market, for which adjustments may be made based on whether a well delivers to a gathering or transmission line, quality of natural gas and prevailing supply and demand conditions. It does not refine any of its crude oil production. It sells its crude oil to oil marketers and refiners. Its crude oil production is sold to purchasers at or near its wells under both short and long-term purchase contracts with monthly pricing provisions based on an average daily price. Its NGLs are sold to one NGL marketer in the Wattenberg Field. Its NGL production is sold under both short and long-term purchase contracts with monthly pricing provisions based on an average daily price.

The Company�� Oil and Gas Exploration and Production segment also reflects revenues and expenses related to well operations and pipeline services. It is paid a monthly operating fee for the portion of each well it operates that is owned by others, including its affiliated partnerships. It constructs, owns and operates gathering systems in its areas of operations. Its natural gas and NGLs are transported through its own and third party gathering systems and pipelines. It enters into firm transportation agreements to provide for pipeline capacity to flow and sell a portion PDC Energy, Inc. (PDC), incorporated on March 25, 1955, doing business as PDC Energy, is a domestic independent exploration and production company, which acquires, develops, explores, and produces natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and crude oil. Its! Western ! Operating Region is focused on development in the Wattenberg Field in Colorado, particularly in the liquid-rich horizontal Niobrara play and on the ongoing development of refractures and recompletions of its Wattenberg wells. In its Eastern Operating Region, it is focused on development activity in the liquid-rich portion of the Utica Shale play in Ohio. The Company owns an interest in approximately 7,200 gross producing wells and maintained an average production rate of 135.6 One million cubic feet of natural gas volume (MMcfe) per day for the year ended December 31, 2012, which was comprised of 65.3% natural gas, 10.2% NGLs and 24.5% crude oil. It divides its operating activities into two segments: Oil and Gas Exploration and Production, and Gas Marketing. It divides its Western Operating Region into two areas: the Wattenberg Field and Piceance Basin. On February 28, 2012, the Company divested its Permian Basin assets. In May 2012, it announced that it has executed a definitive agreement to acquire Core Wattenberg assets that contain liquid-rich horizontal drilling opportunities. The effective date of the transaction is April 1, 2012. The assets are located in the Core Wattenberg Field of Weld and Adams Counties, Colorado and are approximately 94%-operated. The acquired assets include an estimated 35,000 net acres prospective for horizontal development of the Niobrara and Codell formations. In July 2012, the Company acquired core Wattenberg assets. In September 2012, Miller Energy Resources, Inc. acquired its Tennessee assets.

Oil and Gas Exploration and Production

The Company�� Oil and Gas Exploration and Production segment reflects revenues and expenses from the production and sale of natural gas, NGLs and crude oil. It sells its natural gas to marketers, utilities, industrial end-users and other wholesale purchasers. It sells natural gas, which it produces under contracts with indexed or New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) monthly pricing provisions with the remaining p! roduction! sold under contracts with daily pricing provisions. Its contracts include provisions wherein prices change monthly with changes in the market, for which adjustments may be made based on whether a well delivers to a gathering or transmission line, quality of natural gas and prevailing supply and demand conditions. It does not refine any of its crude oil production. It sells its crude oil to oil marketers and refiners. Its crude oil production is sold to purchasers at or near its wells under both short and long-term purchase contracts with monthly pricing provisions based on an average daily price. Its NGLs are sold to one NGL marketer in the Wattenberg Field. Its NGL production is sold under both short and long-term purchase contracts with monthly pricing provisions based on an average daily price.

The Company�� Oil and Gas Exploration and Production segment also reflects revenues and expenses related to well operations and pipeline services. It is paid a monthly operating fee for the portion of each well it operates that is owned by others, including its affiliated partnerships. It constructs, owns and operates gathering systems in its areas of operations. Its natural gas and NGLs are transported through its own and third party gathering systems and pipelines. It enters into firm transportation agreements to provide for pipeline capacity to flow and sell a portion

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  PDC Energy (Nasdaq: PDCE  ) reported earnings on May 1. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), PDC Energy whiffed on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Energy shares dropped around 0.22 percent in today’s trading. Top decliners in the sector included Daqo New Energy (NYSE: DQ), PDC Energy (NASDAQ: PDCE), and YPF SA (NYSE: YPF).

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Energy shares dropped around 0.22 percent in today’s trading. Top decliners in the sector included Daqo New Energy (NYSE: DQ), PDC Energy (NASDAQ: PDCE), and YPF SA (NYSE: YPF).

Top 10 Oil Companies To Buy Right Now: Clayton Williams Energy Inc (CWEI)

Clayton Williams Energy, Inc. (CWEI), incorporated on December 27, 1991, is an independent oil and gas company engaged in the exploration for and production of oil and natural gas primarily in Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico. The Company operates in two segments: oil and gas exploration and production and contract drilling services. As of December 31, 2012, its portfolio of oil and natural gas reserves is weighted in favor of oil, with approximately 77% of its proved reserves consisting of oil and natural gas liquids (NGLs) and approximately 23% consisting of natural gas. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company added proved reserves of 20,443 million barrels of oil equivalent (MBOE) through extensions and discoveries, had downward revisions of 6,615 MBOE and had purchases of minerals-in-place of 3,504 MBOE and had a sales of minerals-in-place of 725 MBOE. As of December 31, 2012, CWEI held interests in 3,031 gross (1749 net) producing oil and gas wells and owned leasehold interests in approximately 951,000 gross (471,000 net) undeveloped acres. On March 14, 2012, its wholly owned subsidiary, Southwest Royalties, Inc. (SWR), completed the mergers of each of the 24 limited partnerships, of which SWR is the general partner (SWR Partnerships) into SWR.

Permian Basin

The Company�� Permian Basin is a sedimentary basin in West Texas and Southeastern New Mexico. The Permian Basin covers an area approximately 250 miles wide and 350 miles long and contains commercial accumulations of oil and gas in multiple stratigraphic horizons at depths ranging from 1,000 feet to over 25,000 feet. During 2012, the Company drilled and completed 87 gross (80.2 net) operated wells in the Permian Basin and conducted various remedial operations on other wells. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had two rigs in this area.

Giddings Area

The Company�� Austin Chalk formation is an upper Cretaceous geologic formation in the Gulf Coast region of the United States th! at stretches across numerous fields in Texas and Louisiana. The Austin Chalk formation is generally encountered at depths of 5,500 to 7,000 feet. Horizontal drilling is the primary technique used in the Austin Chalk formation. Its wells in this area were drilled as horizontal wells, many with multiple laterals in different producing horizons, including the Austin Chalk, Buda and Georgetown formations in East Central Texas. The Eagle Ford Shale formation lies immediately beneath the Austin Chalk formation where the Company have approximately 177,000 net acres in production. As of December 31, 2012, the Company is using one of its drilling rigs in the Giddings Area to drill horizontal wells in the Eagle Ford Shale formation.

South Louisiana

During 2012, the Company drilled and completed the Hassinger ETAL #1, an exploratory well in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. The Company plan to commence drilling operations on the Macon Stringer Heirs #1, an exploratory well in Terrebonne Parish in 2013.

Natural Gas Services

The Company owns an interest in and operates natural gas service facilities in the states of Texas and Louisiana. These natural gas service facilities consist of interests in approximately 314 miles of pipeline, three treating plants, one dehydration facility, and seven wellhead type treating and/or compression stations. Its operated gas gathering and treating activities exist to facilitate the transportation and marketing of its operated oil and gas production.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Clayton Williams Energy (Nasdaq: CWEI  ) is expected to report Q1 earnings around April 24. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

  The 10-second takeaway
  Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict Clayton Williams Energy's revenues will decrease -8.9% and EPS will shrink -32.8%.