Top Gas Stocks To Watch Right Now

So as it turns out, General Electric (NYSE: GE  ) doesn't want to exit the business of financing fuel purchases after all.

Earlier this year, GE made headlines with its decision to get out of the Australian gas card business, when it announced it was selling its Fleet Card gas charge-card business to FleetCor. This set off a mini-acquisition spree at FleetCor itself, which proceeded to acquire the CardLink fuel card business in neighboring New Zealand a month later.

As for GE, though, it appears to be only shifting focus. On Tuesday, GE Capital Retail Bank announced a deal to provide private label credit card support to Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX  ) . Beginning Aug. 1, GE will begin to manage and service credit cards for Phillips customers -- both individual consumers using Phillips 66�, Conoco, and 76�personal gas cards, and commercial customers using revolving charge cards also branded Phillips 66, Conoco, and 76.

In a statement on the program, GE Capital�Retail Finance CEO Margaret Keane said the company is "excited to build this relationship with Phillips 66 and look[s] forward to working with the 8,000+ branded locations in their network to provide valuable financing solutions for their customers."

10 Best Medical Stocks To Buy For 2015: Weatherford International Ltd(WFT)

Weatherford International Ltd. provides equipment and services used in the drilling, evaluation, completion, production, and intervention of oil and natural gas wells worldwide. It offers artificial lift systems, which include reciprocating rod lift systems, progressing cavity pumps, gas lift systems, hydraulic lift systems, plunger lift systems, hybrid lift systems, wellhead systems, and multiphase metering systems. The company also provides drilling services, including directional drilling, ?Secure Drilling? services, well testing, drilling-with-casing and drilling-with-liner systems, and surface logging systems; and well construction services, such as tubular running services, cementing products, liner systems, swellable products, solid tubular expandable technologies, and inflatable products and accessories. In addition, it designs and manufactures drilling jars, underreamers, rotating control devices, and other pressure-control equipment used in drilling oil and nat ural gas wells; and offers a selection of in-house or third-party manufactured equipment for the drilling, completion, and work over of oil and natural gas wells for operators and drilling contractors, as well as a line of completion tools and sand screens. Further, the company provides wireline and evaluation services; and re-entry, fishing, and thru-tubing services, as well as well abandonment and wellbore cleaning services; stimulation and chemicals, including fracturing and coiled tubing technologies, cement services, chemical systems, and drilling fluids; integrated drilling services; and pipeline and specialty services. It serves independent oil and natural gas producing companies. The company was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Canadian Value]

  - Weatherford International (WFT) which is a services company and a direct beneficiary of the boom in horizontal drilling and fracturing in the U.S.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Weatherford International Ltd. (0.4%) (WFT)(WFT - $17.36 - NYSE), based in Houston, Texas, finally resolved its tax accounting problems and various government investigations, which had been on-going for several years. It is now focused on growing its core businesses, enhancing profitability, reducing leverage and improving capital efficiency. The company is targeting total segment operating profit margin to reach 20% by 2016 from 11.3% in 2013 and reducing debt to capitalization from 52% to 25%. It aims to realize $500 million in annualized cost savings and sell four non-core businesses. Also, Weatherford plans to spin-off a portion of its international drilling rig business by the end of 2014 or early 2015. All available free cash flow generated and proceeds from asset sales will be used to reduce debt.From Mario Gabelli (Trades, Portfolio)'s Value 25 Fund first quarter 2014 shareholder commentary. Also check out: Mario Gabelli Undervalued Stocks Mario Gabelli Top Growth Companies Mario Gabelli High Yield stocks, and Stocks that Mario Gabelli keeps buying Currently 0.00/512345

  Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes)

• [By Traders Reserve]

  Despite the poor operating performance, things are looking up for Weatherford (WFT) ��that�� why the selling at the start of the year is so perplexing and likely to attract a private equity or hedge fund manager. Analysts expect profits to grow by 58% next year. At current prices, the stock trades for only 11.5 times 2014 estimated earnings. That�� about as cheap as it gets. An astute big boy manager is going to exploit that valuation metric in very short order. I�� get in before they do.

• [By Anna Prior]

  Weatherford International (WFT) PLC agreed to sell its land rig operations in Russia and Venezuela to Russia’s state-controlled oil giant Rosneft for $500 million in cash, as the oil-field services company continues to slim down and focus on its core businesses.

Top Gas Stocks To Watch Right Now: VAALCO Energy Inc (EGY)

VAALCO Energy, Inc. (VAALCO), incorporated in 1985, is an independent energy company principally engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development and production of crude oil and natural gas. VAALCO owns producing properties and conducts exploration activities as operator in Gabon, West Africa, conducts exploration activities as an operator in Angola, West Africa, and has conducted exploration activities as a non-operator in the British North Sea. The Company owns minor interests in production activities as a non-operator in the United States. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Etame, Avouma, South Tchibala and Ebouri fields produced approximately 8.1 million barrels of oil (2.3 million barrels of oil net to the Company).

Offshore Gabon

The Company�� primary source of revenue is from the Etame Production Sharing Contract related to the Etame Marin block located offshore the Republic of Gabon. VAALCO operates the Etame Marin block on behalf of a consortium of companies. As of December 31, 2010, VAALCO owned a 30.35% interest in the exploration acreage within the Etame Marin block. The Company owns a 28.1% interest in the development areas surrounding the Etame, Avouma, South Tchibala and Ebouri fields, each of which is located on the Etame Marin block. The Company produces from the Etame, Avouma, South Tchibala and Ebouri fields on the block.

Onshore Gabon

The Mutamba Iroru block is ocated onshore near the coast in central Gabon. The Mutamba Iroru block contains an exploration area of approximately 270,000 acres.

Offshore Angola

The Company has 40% working interest in Offshore Angola. The four year primary term with an optional three year extension awards the Company exploration rights to 1.4 million acres offshore central Angola.

Onshore Domestic-Texas

In July 2011, the Company acquired a 480 acre lease in the Granite Wash formation in North Texas. In November 2011, the Company commen! ced drilling a second well on the initial Granite Wash formation lease.

Onshore DomesticMontana

In May 2011, the Company acquired a 70% working interest in approximately 5,200 acres (3,640 net acres) in Sheridan County, Montana in the Middle Bakken formation. In September 2011, it acquired a 65% working interest in approximately 22,000 gross acres covering the Middle Bakken and deeper formations in the East Poplar unit and the Northwest Poplar field in Roosevelt County, Montana.

DomesticOutside Operated

The Company has minor interests in Brazos County, Texas producing from the Buda/Georgetown formations. The Company also owns certain minor non-operated interests in the Ship Shoal area of the Gulf of Mexico and in Pickens County, Alabama.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Vaalco Energy (NYSE: EGY  ) hopes to put some power into its common stock by repurchasing a chunk of outstanding shares. The company's board has authorized a repurchase program for up to $25 million worth of stock. The initiative will be in force for one year.

• [By Nitish]

  VAALCO Energy, Inc. (EGY) last month reported net income of $24.7 million or $0.43 per diluted share for the second quarter of 2014 compared to net income of $7.1 million or $0.12 per diluted share for the comparable period in 2013. Second quarter 2014 revenues were $52.1 million compared to$29.1 million in the second quarter of 2013, primarily due to the higher volumes of crude liftings in the second quarter of 2014 as compared to the second quarter of 2013.

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Thursday

  Earnings Expected From: AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVEO), Kirkland��, Inc (NASDAQ: KIRK), Dollar General Corporation (NYSE: DG), Stein Mart, Inc. (SMRT: NASDAQ), Mattress Firm Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: MRFM), SeaWorld Entertainment (NYSE: SEAS), Vaalco Energy Inc (NYSE: EGY) Economic Releases Expected: Chinese retail sales, French CPI, Brazilian retail sales, US retail sales, Japanese industrial production

  Friday

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Friday

  Earnings Expected From: Covidien plc. (NYSE: COV), Eldorado Gold Corporation (NYSE: EGO), Vaalco Energy Inc. (NYSE: EGY) Economic Releases Expected: �US Wholesale Trade, US non-farm payrolls

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Top Gas Stocks To Watch Right Now: EP Energy Corp (EPE)

EP Energy Corporation, incorporated on August 8, 2013, is an independent exploration and production company. The Company is engaged in the acquisition and development of unconventional onshore oil and natural gas properties in the United States. The Company is focused on creating shareholder value through the development of its low-risk drilling inventory located in four core areas: the Eagle Ford Shale (South Texas), the Wolfcamp Shale (Permian Basin in West Texas), the Altamont field in the Uinta Basin in northeastern Utah and the Haynesville Shale (North Louisiana). In its core areas, it has identified approximately 5,200 drilling locations (including 916 drilling locations to which it has attributed proved undeveloped reserves as of September 30, 2013), of which approximately 96% are oil wells. As of September 30, 2013, it had proved reserves of 513 million barrels of oil equivalent (54% oil and 67% liquids) and for the three months ended September 30, 2013, it had average net daily production of 88,149 barrels of oil equivalent per day (45% oil and 54% liquids). During the year ending September 31, 2013, it sold certain of its natural gas properties, including CBM properties located in the Raton, Black Warrior and Arkoma basins, the majority of its Arklatex natural gas properties and its natural gas properties in South Texas. In May 2014, the Company acquired certain producing properties and undeveloped acreage directly offsetting existing Wolfcamp operating areas in Reagan and Crockett Counties in the Southern Midland Basin.

Eagle Ford Shale

The Eagle Ford Shale, located in South Texas, is the unconventional oil plays in the United States. The Eagle Ford formation in La Salle County has up to 125 feet of net thickness, making it some of the prolific acreage in the area. Due to its high carbonate content, the Eagle Ford is also brittle, and delivers high productivity when fractured, with initial 30-day oil equivalent production rates up to 1,100 barrels of oil equivalent! per day.. The Company as of september 30, 2013, has 97,689 net acres in the Eagle Ford, where it has identified 983 drilling locations. As of September 30, 2013, it had six rigs running and it plan to drill 126 wells in 2013 (of which 100 have been drilled through September 30, 2013), representing 58% of its total wells planned in 2013.

Wolfcamp Shale

The Wolfcamp Shale is located in the Permian Basin, which has produced more than 29 billion barrels of oil and 75 trillion cubic feet of gas over the past 90 years and is estimated by industry experts to contain recoverable oil and natural gas reserves exceeding what has already been produced. With oil production of over 880 one thousand barrels per day from over 80,000 wells during the six months ended June 30, 2013, the Permian Basin represented 51% of the crude oil produced in the State of Texas and approximately 17% of the crude oil and condensate produced onshore in the lower 48 United States. As of September 30, 2013, it had three rigs running and it plans to drill 65 wells in 2013 (of which 48 have been drilled through September 30, 2013), representing 30% of its total wells planned in 2013.

Altamont

The Altamont field is located in the Uinta Basin in northeastern Utah. Its operations are primarily focused on developing the Altamont Field Complex (comprised of the Altamont, Bluebell and Cedar Rim fields). It owns 170,523 net (315,272 gross) acres in Duchesne and Uinta Counties, making it the ease owner in the Altamont Field Complex. Its activity is mainly focused on the development of its vertical inventory on 160-acre spacing. The Company has identified an inventory of 1,135 drilling locations (781 vertical and 354 horizontal). The industry is piloting 80-acre vertical downspacing programs in the Wasatch and Green River formations and horizontal development programs in the multiple shale and tight sand intervals. As of September 30, 2013, it had two rigs running and it plans to drill 26 wells in ! 2013 (of w! hich 20 have been drilled through September 30, 2013), representing 12% of its total wells planned in 2013.

Haynesville Shale

Haynesville Shale is located in East Texas and Northern Louisiana. its operations are concentrated primarily in Desoto Parish, Louisiana in the Holly Field. This area is within the core of the Haynesville Shale with net thickness of 114 feet (210 feet gross), resulting in initial 30-day gas equivalent production rates up to 18 million cubic feet per day. As of September 30, 2013, it has identified 190 drilling locations.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt Jarzemsky var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach]

  Rice Energy Inc.(RICE) has rallied 44% since its $1.1 billion January IPO through Thursday. RSP Permian Inc.(RSPP) has gained 42% since debuting the same month. This year�� other E&P IPO, EP Energy Corp.(EPE), is off 1.9% since it went public in January.

Top Gas Stocks To Watch Right Now: Occidental Petroleum Corporation(OXY)

Occidental Petroleum Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an oil and gas exploration and production company primarily in the United States. The company operates in three segments: Oil and Gas; Chemical; and Midstream, Marketing, and Other. The Oil and Gas segment explores for, develops, produces, and markets crude oil, natural gas liquids, and condensate and natural gas. Its domestic oil and gas operations are located in Texas, New Mexico, California, Kansas, Oklahoma, Utah, Colorado, North Dakota, and West Virginia; and international oil and gas operations are located in Bahrain, Bolivia, Colombia, Iraq, Libya, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. As of December 31, 2010, this segment had proved reserves of approximately 3,363 million barrels of oil equivalent. The Chemical segment manufactures and markets basic chemicals, including chlorine, caustic soda, chlorinated organics, potassium chemicals, and ethylene dichloride products; vinyls, such as vinyl chloride monomer and polyvinyl chloride; and other chemicals comprising chlorinated isocyanurates, resorcinol, sodium silicates, and calcium chloride products. The Midstream, Marketing, and Other segment gathers, treats, processes, transports, stores, purchases, and markets crude oil that includes natural gas liquids and condensate, as well as natural gas and carbon dioxide. This segment also involves in the power generation; and trades around its assets comprising pipelines and storage capacity, as well as oil and gas, other commodities, and commodity-related securities. Occidental Petroleum Corporation was founded in 1920 and is based in Los Angeles, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  According to ConocoPhillips (COP), 80% of U.S. shale oil could be produced profitably at oil prices around $40-80 while the CEO of Occidental Petroleum (OXY) has stated that much of oil production in the U.S. is viable at $753. Some companies such as Anadarko Petroleum (APC) have emphasized that recent developments in the commodity markets were not going to have much impact on its exploration plans. Others such as Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD) have stated that the company could increase production by 16%- 21% through 2016 at oil prices in the range of $70-80 while EOG Resources (EOG) has maintained that it was going to post strong double-digit gains in oil production going forward despite the low price environment. Meanwhile, Chesapeake Energy (CHK) raised its production guidance for this year and noted that despite lower oil prices, declining production costs have enabled it to raise its production this year.

• [By Robert Rapier]

  There are numerous drillers making major investments in the Permian Basin. The list is long, but it includes Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY), Chevron (NYSE: CVX), Devon Energy (NYSE: DVN), Pioneer Natural Resources (NYSE: PXD), Concho Resources (NYSE: CXO), ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) and Apache (NYSE: APA).

• [By Sean Williams]

  In the Permian Basin, Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY  ) has been a big rail transport beneficiary, since it produced as much oil in 2011 as the No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 producers combined! Being able to pilfer a few extra dollars per barrel can mean hundreds of millions of dollars extra for companies like Occidental with huge oil exposure.

• [By Kelley Wright]

  Occidental Petroleum (OXY) is undergoing a makeover, becoming a smaller, more efficient company with more exposure to shale assets in the US than higher-risk, overseas geographies. Proceeds from overseas sells are going toward purchasing more domestic assets and share buybacks, which should boost its valuation. We like the outstanding dividend growth.

Top Gas Stocks To Watch Right Now: Chevron Corporation(CVX)

Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in petroleum, chemicals, mining, power generation, and energy operations worldwide. It operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment involves in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas; processing, liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transportation of crude oil through pipelines; and transportation, storage, and marketing of natural gas, as well as holds interest in a gas-to-liquids project. The Downstream segment engages in the refining of crude oil into petroleum products; marketing of crude oil and refined products primarily under the Chevron, Texaco, and Caltex brand names; transportation of crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment, and rail car; and manufacture and marketing of commodity petrochemicals, plastics for industrial uses, and fuel and lubricant additives. It a lso produces and markets coal and molybdenum; and holds interests in 13 power assets with a total operating capacity of approximately 3,100 megawatts, as well as involves in cash management and debt financing activities, insurance operations, real estate activities, energy services, and alternative fuels and technology business. Chevron Corporation has a joint venture agreement with China National Petroleum Corporation. The company was formerly known as ChevronTexaco Corp. and changed its name to Chevron Corporation in May 2005. Chevron Corporation was founded in 1879 and is based in San Ramon, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Victor Selva]

  It is best suited for investors looking for diversification across sectors at a low cost. Let's see the fund麓s holding list:

  Apple Inc (AAPL) 3.21% Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM) 2.80% Google Inc (GOOG) 1.97% General Electric Co (GE) 1.80% Microsoft Corp (MSFT) 1.78% Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) 1.62% Chevron Corp (CVX) 1.52% Procter & Gamble Co (PG) 1.40% JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM) 1.38% Wells Fargo & Co (WFC)1.38%

  Total Percentage of Top 10 Holdings: 18.86%

• [By Paul Ausick]

  After falling nearly 1.2% yesterday after announcing that production would be falling and capex spending would be lower, Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) trades up 0.96% today at $115.61 in its 52-week range of $109.27 to $127.83 shortly before the closing bell. Trading volume for Chevron�� shares was about 12% below the daily average of around 6.5 million shares.

Top Gas Stocks To Watch Right Now: Laredo Petroleum Inc (LPI)

Laredo Petroleum, Inc., formerly Laredo Petroleum Holdings, Inc., incorporated in August 12, 2011, is an independent energy company focused on the exploration, development and acquisition of oil and natural gas in the Permian and Mid-Continent regions of the United States. The Company�� activities are primarily focused in the Wolfberry and deeper horizons of the Permian Basin in West Texas and the Anadarko Granite Wash in the Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma, where it has assembled 134,680 net acres and 37,850 net acres, respectively, as of December 31, 2011.

Permian Basin

The Permian Basin, located in west Texas and southeastern New Mexico, is an onshore oil and natural gas producing regions in the United States. The Company�� Permian activities are centered on the eastern side of the basin approximately 35 miles east of Midland, Texas in Glasscock, Howard, Reagan and Sterling Counties. As of December 31, 2011, it held 134,680 net acres in over 300 sections with an average working interest of 96% in wells drilled as of that date. The overall Wolfberry interval, the principal focus of its drilling activities, is an oil play that also includes a liquids-rich natural gas component. Its production/exploration fairway extends approximately 20 miles wide and 80 miles long. While exploration and drilling efforts in the southern half of its acreage block has been centered on the shallower portion of the Wolfberry (Spraberry, Dean and Wolfcamp formations) the emphasis in the northern half has been on the deeper intervals, including the Wolfcamp, Cline Shale, Strawn and Atoka formations.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company had drilled and completed approximately 600 gross vertical wells and had defined the productive limits on its acreage throughout the trend. It has expanded its drilling program to include a horizontal component targeting the Cline and Wolfcamp Shales. The Company has drilled four gross horizontal Wolfcamp Shale wells as of December 31, 2011. A! s of December 31, 2011, it had drilled a total of 27 gross horizontal wells in the Wolfcamp and Cline formations, of which 23 are in the Cline Shale and four in the Wolfcamp Shale. It had over 5,600 total gross identified drilling locations (both vertical and horizontal) in the Permian, all of which are within the Wolfberry and Cline Shale interval during the year ended December 31, 2011.

Anadarko Granite Wash

Straddling the Texas/Oklahoma state line, its Granite Wash play extends over a large area in the western part of the Anadarko Basin. As of December 31, 2011, it held 37,850 net acres in Hemphill County, Texas and Roger Mills County, Oklahoma. The Company�� play consists of vertical and horizontal drilling opportunities targeting the liquids-rich Granite Wash formation. As of December 31, 2011, it had drilled and completed over 150 gross vertical wells. During 2011, its horizontal Granite Wash program was in the development phase. As of December 31, 2011, it had approximately 100 gross identified potential drilling locations for the horizontal Granite Wash, which included both its Texas and Oklahoma acreage.

Other areas

The Company, in addition to its Permian Wolfberry and Anadarko Granite Wash plays, evaluated opportunities in three other areas within its core operating regions during 2011. The Dalhart Basin is located on the western side of the Texas Panhandle. As of December 31, 2011, the Company held 83,295 net acres in the Dalhart Basin. As of December 31, 2011, it had drilled two gross vertical wells in the Dalhart Basin. The second area is centrally located in the Central Texas Panhandle, where its operations were conducted through its joint venture with ExxonMobil as of December 31, 2011. As of December 31, 2011, it held 46,915 net acres in the Central Texas Panhandle. The third area is located in the eastern end of the Anadarko Basin, in Caddo County, Oklahoma. As of December 31, 2011, the Company held 33,306 net acres in the Eastern An! adarko. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tony Daltorio]

  Other companies already drilling in the Cline include Apache Corp. (NYSE: APA), Gulfport Energy Corp. (Nasdaq: GPOR), and another pioneer in the region, Laredo Petroleum Holdings Inc. (NYSE: LPI).

• [By Robert Rapier]

  Laredo Petroleum (NYSE: LPI) is a smallish (~$4 billion market capitalization) oil and natural gas producer in the booming Permian Basin, where it holds leases on ~144,000 net acres.

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  Who's doing it the best?
  It can be pretty handy to evaluate the entire industry on how efficiently it's replacing reserves, but reserve replacement costs can be more effective in evaluating individual companies. The lower the costs, the better it is. According to Ernst & Young, the most effective company at controlling reserve replacement costs is private company�Antero Resources, with a three-year average reserve replacement cost of about $2.88 per barrel of oil equivalent. Antero, and four of the other top five companies on Ernst & Young's list, are almost pure natural gas plays. If we've learned one thing over the past couple of years, it's that oil reserves and natural gas reserves are two totally different things when it comes to value. The five following companies have more than 50% liquids on�their�reserves and had the lowest reserve replacement costs for 2012.

  Company % Liquids in�Portfolio Oil Production Replacement Rate (3 Years) Reserve Replacement Costs (3-Year Average) Per boe Rosetta Resources� (NASDAQ: ROSE  ) 57% 846% $6.99 Continental Resources� (NYSE: CLR  ) 72% 827% $12.61 Laredo Petroleum� (NYSE: LPI  ) 52% 1,042% $13.51 SM Energy� (NYSE: SM  ) 53% 392% $14.67 SandRidge Energy� (NYSE: SD  ) 58% 704% $14.85

  Sources: Ernst & Young and S&P Capital IQ; author's calculations.