Top 10 Gas Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Talk about carbon emissions all you like, but growth in this hotly debated area has been slowing. Total carbon emissions grew only 1.4% over 2011 on a global scale. One of the largest reasons carbon emissions are slowing is because of the United States. Between 2011 and 2012, total carbon emission reductions from the U.S. were three times greater than all of Europe and Eurasia combined. Today, the U.S. emits the same amount of carbon as we did in 1994, and this downward tend could continue for the next couple of years.�

More work can be done to reduce carbon emissions through better energy sources and increased efficiency, but we should give some credit to the reductions we have achieved thus far. Utilities switching from coal to natural gas reduce CO2 emissions per MW produced by about 50%, saving some money at the same time. Also, automotive manufacturers have found new ways to get more out of every drop of gasoline. In the past five years, Ford (NYSE: F  ) has increased its entire vehicle fleet efficiency by 14%. �

Top 10 Gas Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Sonde Resources Corp (SOQ)

Sonde Resources Corp. (Sonde) is engaged in the exploration for, and acquisition, development and production of, petroleum and natural gas with operations in Western Canada and North Africa. On June 23, 2011, the Company sold its interests in Block 5(c) and the assumption of certain liabilities in respect of the MG Block through the Niko Sale Agreement. On September 23, 2011, the Company acquired a block of producing and non-producing assets in Drumheller from a third party, which includes the bulk of producing interests in the Mannville I oil pool. On January 1, 2012, the Company amalgamated Seeker Petroleum Ltd., Challenger Energy Corp. and Sonde Resources Trinidad and Tobago Ltd. into Sonde Resources Corp. On February 8, 2012, the Company completed the sale of 26,240 gross undeveloped acres (24,383 net acres) in its Kaybob Duvernay play in Alberta. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  While Bakken formation oil and gas stocks have grabbed the attention of�American investors, small cap Alberta or Saskatchewan oil and gas stocks Advantage Oil & Gas Ltd (NYSE: AAV), Sonde Resources Corp (NYSEMKT: SOQ) and up and coming Centor Energy Inc (OTCBB: CNTO) have been largely overlooked as they seek to exploit oil and gas (including oil sands) in the resource rich Canadian provinces of Alberta or Saskatchewan or seek strategic alternatives for their assets in these areas or themselves. It should be mentioned that Canada�� oil reserves are third only to Venezuela and Saudi Arabia with over 95% of these reserves being the oil sands of Alberta plus that province contains much of the country�� conventional oil reserves as well. In addition, the province of Saskatchewan along with offshore areas of Newfoundland contain substantial production and reserves. Excluding oil sands, Alberta would have 39% of Canada�� remaining conventional oil reserves,�followed by�offshore Newfoundland with�28% and Saskatchewan with 27%.

Top 10 Gas Stocks To Invest In Right Now: NK Lukoil OAO (LKOH)

NK Lukoil OAO (Neftyanaya Kompaniya LUKOIL OAO or NK LUKOIL OJSC) is a Russia-based integrated oil and gas company. The Company is engaged in the business of oil exploration, production, refining, marketing and distribution. It is an owner of refineries, gas processing, petrochemical plants and gas stations network located in Russia, Eastern and Western Europe, as well as Africa. The Company�� petroleum products are sold in the Russian Federation, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, Eastern and Western Europe, Asia and the United States. NK Lukoil OAO operates through numerous subsidiaries and affiliated companies. In April 2013, the Company acquired a 100% of Samara-Nafta ZAO and completed acquisition of CJSC Kama-Oil. In June 2013, it sold a 99.57% stake in Lukoil Odes'kyi NPZ PAT. The Company�� major shareholder is NKO ZAO NRD with a stake of 91.60%. In December 2013, it consolidated a 100% stake in ISAB Srl. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rajhkumar K Shaaw]

  Russian stocks rose as oil, the nation�� main export earner, climbed. OAO Lukoil (LKOH) gained for the first time this week. Benchmark gauges in Hungary and Turkey also advanced. Tofas Turk Otomobil Fabrikasi AS, the Turkish carmaker part-owned by Fiat SpA, climbed for a second day on bets plans to roll out a new vehicle will boost revenue from exports.

• [By Maria Levitov]

  Russia�� Micex Index extended a five-day drop to 3.4 percent, led by OAO Lukoil (LKOH) and OAO Gazprom. Ukraine�� dollar-denominated bonds gained, sending yields to the lowest this week, as President Viktor Yanukovych announced possible investments from China. The PX Index slid to a seven-week low in Prague as Vienna Insurance Group AG plunged 4.2 percent.

• [By Julia Leite]

  Brazil�� Ibovespa (IBOV) fell to a six-week low, while the real slid to its weakest level in four years, spurring central bank intervention. Housing Development Finance Corp. drove India�� S&P BSE Sensex down, while the rupee completed its worst month in a year. OAO Lukoil (LKOH), Russia�� second-largest oil producer, slipped 2.3 percent as crude slumped.

Best Supermarket Stocks To Watch For 2015: CAMAC Energy Inc (CAK)

CAMAC Energy Inc. (CAMAC), incorporated on December 12, 1979, is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on energy resources in Africa. Its asset portfolio consists of nine production and exploration licenses in four countries covering an area of 43,000 square kilometers (approximately 10 million acres), including existing production and other projects offshore Nigeria, as well as exploration licenses with hydrocarbon potential onshore and offshore Kenya, offshore Gambia, and offshore Ghana.

Nigeria

The Company owns 100% of the economic interests under a Production Sharing Contract (PSC) and related assets, contracts and rights pertaining to those certain Oil Mining Leases 120 and 121 (OMLs 120 and 121) including the producing Oyo Field which is located in deep-water (200-500 meters) approximately 75 kilometers (46 miles) offshore Nigeria. In September 2013, drilling operations commenced on the Oyo-7 well in OML 120. In October 2013, the preliminary results from the Oyo-7 well were announced. Based on logging while drilling (LWD) data, the well encountered gross oil pay of 133 feet (net oil pay of 115 feet) and gross gas pay of 103 feet (net gas pay of 93 feet) in the gas cap from the producing Pliocene reservoir, with reservoir. The top of the reservoir was penetrated at 5,564 feet.

Kenya

The Kenya PSCs for blocks L1B and L16 each provide for an initial exploration period of two years with specified minimum work obligations during that period. The Company conducts, for each block, a gravity and magnetic survey and acquire, process and interpret two dimensional (2D) seismic data. The gravity and magnetic survey on blocks L1B and L16 was completed in April 2013. The Company has the right to apply for up to two additional two-year exploration periods with specified additional minimum work obligations, including the acquisition of three dimensional (3D) seismic data and the drilling of one exploratory well on each block du! ring each such additional period. In December 2013, the Company initiated an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) study in blocks L1B and L16 in order to obtain the license to carry out a 2D seismic survey.

The Kenya PSCs for blocks L27 and L28 each provide for an initial exploration period of three years with specified minimum work obligations during that period. The Company conducts, for each block, a regional geological and geophysical study, acquire 2D seismic data and acquire, process and interpret 3D seismic data. The Company has the right to apply for up to two additional two-year exploration periods with specified additional minimum work obligations, including the drilling of one exploratory well on each block, during each such additional period. CAMAC is participating in a multi-client combined gravity / magnetic and 2D seismic survey which is underway in blocks L27 and L28.

The Gambia

The Gambia Licenses for both blocks provide for an initial exploration period of four years with specified minimum work obligations during that period. The Company conducts, for each block, a regional geological study, acquire process and interpret 750 square kilometers of 3D seismic data, drill one exploration well to the total depth of 5,000 meters below mean sea level and evaluate drilling results. The Company has the right to apply for up to two additional two-year exploration periods with specified additional minimum work obligations, including the drilling of one exploration well during each additional period for each block.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Bieglmeier]

  But, we'll take a look at CAMAC Energy Inc (NYSEMKT:CAK).� Since the odds are you haven't heard of CAK, the company is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on energy resources in Africa. Its asset portfolio consists of nine production and exploration licenses in four countries covering an area of 43,000 square kilometers (approximately 10 million acres), including existing production and other projects offshore Nigeria, as well as exploration licenses with hydrocarbon potential onshore and offshore Kenya, offshore Gambia, and offshore Ghana.

Top 10 Gas Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Transocean Ltd (RIGN)

Transocean Ltd. (Transocean) is an international provider of offshore contract drilling services for oil and gas wells. The Company operates in two segments: contract drilling services and drilling management services. Contract drilling services, the Company�� primary business, involves contracting its mobile offshore drilling fleet, related equipment and work crews primarily on a dayrate basis to drill oil and gas wells. Its drilling management services segment provides oil and gas drilling management services on either a dayrate basis or a completed-project, fixed-price (or turnkey) basis, as well as drilling engineering and drilling project management services. As of February 14, 2012, it owned or had partial ownership interests in and operated 134 mobile offshore drilling units. On October 4, 2011, the Company acquired Aker Drilling ASA (Aker Drilling). In February 2011, it sold the subsidiary that owns the High-Specification Jackup Trident 20.

During the year ended December 31, 2011 (during 2011), the Company completed the sale of its 50% ownership interest in ODL to Siem Offshore Inc. In October 2011, the Company completed the sale of Challenger Minerals (North Sea) Limited. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� fleet consisted of 50 High-Specification Floaters (Ultra-Deepwater, Deepwater and Harsh Environment semisubmersibles and drillships), 25 Midwater Floaters, nine High-Specification Jackups, 49 Standard Jackups and one swamp barge. In addition, it had two Ultra-Deepwater Floaters and four High-Specification Jackups under construction.

Drilling Fleet

The Company engaged in both types of drilling activity: floaters, including drillships and semisubmersibles, and jackups. Also included in its fleet is a swamp barge drilling unit. It categorized the drilling units of its fleet as High-Specification Floaters, consisting of its Ultra-Deepwater Floaters, Deepwater Floaters and Harsh Environment Floaters, Midwater Floaters, High-Specification Jackups, St! andard Jackups and a swamp barge. High-Specification Floaters are specialized offshore drilling units that it categorize into three sub-classifications based on their capabilities. Ultra-Deepwater Floaters are equipped with mud pumps and are capable of drilling in water depths of 7,500 feet or greater. Deepwater Floaters are generally those other semisubmersible rigs and drillships capable of drilling in water depths between 7,500 and 4,500 feet. Harsh Environment Floaters are capable of drilling in harsh environments in water depths between 10,000 and 1,500 feet and have displacement, which offers variable load capacity, more useable deck space and motion characteristics. Midwater Floaters are generally consists of those non-high-specification semisubmersibles that have a water depth capacity of less than 4,500 feet.

As of February 14, 2012, the Company�� fleet was located in the Far East (27 units), Middle East (16 units), West African countries other than Nigeria and Angola (14 units), United States Gulf of Mexico (13 units), United Kingdom North Sea (12 units), India (12 units), Brazil (10 units), Nigeria (10 units), Norway (eight units), Angola (four units), Australia (three units), the Mediterranean (two units), Canada (two units), and Romania (one unit).

Contract Drilling Services

The Company specializes in offshore drilling business with a particular focus on deepwater and harsh environment drilling services. Its contract drilling operations are geographically dispersed in oil and gas exploration and development areas throughout the world.

Drilling Management Services

The Company provides drilling management services primarily on a turnkey basis through Applied Drilling Technology Inc., its wholly owned subsidiary, which primarily operates in the United States Gulf of Mexico, and through ADT International, a division of one of its United Kingdom subsidiaries, which primarily operates in the North Sea (together, ADTI). As part o! f its tur! nkey drilling services, the Company provides planning, engineering and management services. Under turnkey arrangements, it designs and executes of a well and delivers a logged or cased hole to an agreed depth. In addition to turnkey drilling services, Transocean participates in project management operations that include providing certain planning, management and engineering services, purchasing equipment and providing personnel and other logistical services to customers.

Integrated Services

Transocean provides well and logistics services in addition to its normal drilling services through third party contractors and the Company�� employees. These other services include integrated services. As of February 10, 2011, it was performing such services in India.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  Nestle, which makes up 21 percent of the benchmark Swiss Market Index by weight, slid 2.6 percent after reporting the slowest first-half revenue growth in four years. Adecco SA jumped to a two-year high as the biggest provider of temporary workers posted income that exceeded projections. Transocean Ltd. (RIGN), the largest offshore-rig contractor, added 1.1 percent after posting a second-quarter profit.

Top 10 Gas Stocks To Invest In 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 Richard Moroney]

  Gran Tierra Energy (GTE) ranks among the very best stocks in Quadrix. Shares earn the maximum Overall score of 100, ranking them Number One among the 165 energy exploration stocks in our research universe.

• [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.

• [By Eric Lam]

  Bankers Petroleum Ltd. and Legacy Oil & Gas Inc. climbed at least 4.1 percent as the price of crude advanced. Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (GTE) added 4.7 percent after boosting its 2013 production forecasts. Bank of Montreal added 0.6 percent after naming a chief operating officer. Argonaut Gold Inc. dropped 6.5 percent to pace losses among metals miners. SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. sank 4.5 percent after cutting its earnings forecast for the year.

Top 10 Gas Stocks To Invest 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] In last week’s issue I discussed the basics of the refining sector. Today I will provide an overview of four MLPs that hold refining assets.
  
  To review, the refining sector was very profitable in 2012 thanks to unusually high crack spreads, which for many US refiners are approximated by the price differential between Brent and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oils. For a more thorough explanation of this phenomenon, please refer to last week’s issue.
  
  After years of trading at a $1 to $3 per barrel discount to WTI, Brent began fetching a premium a few years ago as a glut of crude developed in the mid-continent area of the US. In 2011 the Brent-WTI price differential increased to more than $25/bbl, and it remained historically high in 2012.
  
  But pipeline capacity started to catch up this year, and the share prices of refiners retreated as the glut began to dissipate and the Brent-WTI differential shrank. In Q3 2012, the Brent-WTI differential averaged $17.43/bbl, but by Q3 of this year, the differential had fallen to $4.43/bbl. This promises bad news for refiners about to report Q3 earnings.
  
  Many analysts downgraded the refining sector in Q3, but as the differential fell below $5/bbl it was hard to imagine that the news could get much worse. With poor Q3 results largely priced in, the differential subsequently rose back above $10/bbl, signaling better refining margins moving into Q4.
  
  Refiners began to post earnings this past week, and as expected they were weak. Valero (NYSE: VLO) reported slightly higher revenues year-over-year, but net earnings fell more than 50 percent from a year ago. Nevertheless, they beat the extremely pessimistic expectations of analysts, and Valero shares rose on the news.
  
  Phillips 66’s (NYSE: PSX) refining unit actually posted a loss, but its chemical business turned in a solid quarter which more than compensated for the disappointing refining results.
  
  The rest of the refine
• [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.

• [By Robert Rapier]

  Icahn Enterprises (NASDAQ: IEP) led all MLPs in 2013 with a capital gain of 136 percent. IEP is an unconventional MLP involved in nine primary business segments: Investment, Automotive, Energy, Gaming, Railcar, Food Packaging, Metals, Real Estate and Home Fashion. IEP invests in energy-related companies such as CVR Refining (NYSE: CVRR) and American Railcar Industries (Nasdaq: ARII), but nearly 60 percent of its assets are invested in the automotive sector and in investment funds. Since 2000, IEP has achieved an average annual return of 23.8 percent, and units currently yield 4.4 percent. MLP Profits subscribers had a chance at a 58 percent capital gain between the Sept. 9 Buy recommendation for IEP and its Dec. 16 liquidation from the Aggressive Portfolio.

Top 10 Gas Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Eagle Rock Energy Partners LP (EROC)

Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. (Eagle Rock) is a limited partnership engaged in the business of gathering, compressing, treating, processing and transporting natural gas; fractionating and transporting natural gas liquids (NGLs); crude oil logistics and marketing; natural gas marketing and trading, known as Midstream Business, and developing and producing interests in oil and natural gas properties, known as Upstream Business. On May 3, 2011, the Company acquired CC Energy II, L.L.C and outstanding membership interests of Crow Creek Energy. On May 20, 2011, it sold the Wildhorse Gathering System in its East Texas and Other Midstream Segment.

Midstream Business

The Company�� Midstream Business is located in four natural gas producing regions: the Texas Panhandle; East Texas/Louisiana; South Texas, and the Gulf of Mexico. As of December 31, 2011, these working interest properties included 591 gross operated productive wells and 1,197 gross non-operated wells with net production to the Company of approximately 87.7 million cubic feet of natural gas per day and proved reserves of approximately 234.0 Bcf of natural gas, 11.5 million barrels of crude oil or other liquid hydrocarbons of crude oil, and 11.3 million barrels of crude oil or other liquid hydrocarbons of natural gas liquids, of which 76% are proved developed. As of December 31, 2011, its Midstream Business consisted of Panhandle Segment and East Texas and Other Midstream Segment.

The Company�� Texas Panhandle Segment covers 10 counties in Texas and two counties in Oklahoma. Through the systems within this segment, the Company offers midstream wellhead-to-market services, including gathering, compressing, treating, processing and selling of natural gas, and fractionating and selling of NGLs. As of December 31, 2011, approximately 213 producers and 2,072 wells and central delivery points were connected to the systems in its Texas Panhandle Segment. The Texas Panhandle Segment averaged gathered volumes fo! r 2011 of approximately 155.1 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. As of December 2011, Chesapeake Energy and BP America Production represented 14% and 11%, respectively, of the total volumes of its Texas Panhandle Segment. The Texas Panhandle Segment consists of approximately 3,963 miles of natural gas gathering pipelines, ranging from two inches to 24 inches in diameter; seven natural gas processing plants with an aggregate capacity of 210 million cubic feet of natural gas per day; a propane fractionation facility with capacity of 1.0 million cubic feet of natural gas per day, and two condensate collection and stabilization facilities.

Eagle Rock�� systems in the East Panhandle (northern Wheeler, Hemphill and Roberts Counties, Texas) gather and process natural gas produced in the Morrow and Granite Wash reservoirs of the Anadarko basin. In the Panhandle Segment, natural gas is contracted at the wellhead primarily under percent-of proceeds (which includes percent-of-liquids) fixed recovery, percent-of-index and fee-based arrangements that range from one to five years in term. During the year endede December 31, 2011, it produced over 2,600 equity barrels per day of condensate in the Texas Panhandle Segment. During 2011, it stabilizes approximately 2,000 barrels per day combined at its Superdrip and Cargray Stabilizers.

The Company�� East Texas and Other Midstream Segment operates within the natural gas producing regions, such as East Texas/Louisiana, South Texas and the Gulf of Mexico. Through its Texas/Louisiana region, it offers producers natural gas gathering, treating, processing and transportation and NGL transportation across 21 counties in East Texas and seven parishes in West Louisiana. Its operations in the South Texas region primarily gather natural gas and recover NGLs and condensate from natural gas produced in the Frio, Vicksburg, Miocene, Canyon Sands and Wilcox formations in South Texas. Its operations in the Gulf of Mexico region are non-operated owne! rship int! erests in pipelines and onshore plants which are all located in southern Louisiana. The Gulf of Mexico region also provides producer services by arranging for the processing of producers��natural gas into third-party processing plants, known as Mezzanine Processing Services.

As of December 31, 2011, approximately 705 wells and central delivery points were connected to its systems in the East Texas and Other Midstream Segment. As of December 31, 2011, the East Texas and Other Midstream Segment provides gathering and/or marketing services to approximately 140 producers. During 2011, the East Texas and Other Midstream Segment averaged gathered volumes of approximately 319.9 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. As of December 31, 2011, Stone Energy Corporation and Anadarko Petroleum Company represented 18% and 9%, respectively, of the total volumes of its East Texas and Other Midstream Segment. Residue gas pipelines include Houston Pipeline Company, Natural Gas Pipeline Company, Tennessee Gas Pipeline, Crosstex Energy L.P. and Southern Natural Pipeline.

Upstream Business

The Company�� Upstream Business located in four regions within the United States, such as Southern Alabama, which includes the associated gathering, processing and treating assets; Mid-Continent, which includes areas in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas Panhandle and North Texas; Permian, which includes areas in West Texas, and East/South Texas/Mississippi assets. As of December 31, 2011, these working interest properties included 591 gross operated productive wells and 1,197 gross non-operated wells with net production of approximately 87.7 million cubic feet of natural gas per day and proved reserves of approximately 234.0 Bcf of natural gas, 11.5 million barrels of crude oil or other liquid hydrocarbons of crude oil, and 11.3 million barrels of crude oil or other liquid hydrocarbons of natural gas liquids, of which 76% are proved developed.

The Southern Alabama region includes the! Big Esca! mbia Creek, Flomaton and Fanny Church fields located in Escambia County, Alabama. These fields produce from either the Smackover or Norphlet formations at depths ranging from approximately 15,000 to 16,000 feet. The Big Escambia Creek field encompasses approximately 11,568 gross and 7,334 net Eagle Rock operated acres. It operates 18 productive wells with an average ownership of 60% working interest and 51% net revenue interest in the Big Escambia Creek field. The Fanny Church field is located two miles east of Big Escambia Creek. Its ownership includes approximately 1,284 gross and 999 net operated acres that include three productive operated wells with an average ownership of 86% working interest and 66% net revenue interest. The Flomaton field is adjacent to and partially underlies the Big Escambia Creek field. The field encompasses approximately 1,280 gross and 1,256 net Eagle Rock operated acres and produces from the Norphlet formation at depths from approximately 15,000 to 16,000 feet. It operates three productive wells with an approximate average 91% working interest and 78% net revenue interest. The Smackover and Norphlet reservoirs are sour, gas condensate reservoirs which produce gas and fluids containing a high percentage of hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide.

The Mid-Continent region consists of operated and non-operated properties across the Golden Trend Field, Cana Shale play, Verden Field, and other western Oklahoma fields located in the Anadarko Basin in Oklahoma, the Mansfield Field and other various fields in the Arkoma Basin in Arkansas and Oklahoma, various fields in the Texas Panhandle, and the Barnett Shale in north Texas. Productive depths range from approximately 2,500 feet in the Arkoma fields of western Arkansas to greater than 18,000 feet in the Springer formation in certain western Oklahoma fields. Its producing field is the Golden Trend field that extends across Grady, McClain and Garvin counties in Oklahoma. It has 14,621 net acres in the Cana Shale play exte! nding acr! oss Canadian, Blaine and Dewey counties, Oklahoma. The Cana Shale produces from horizontal wells drilled to vertical depths of 11,000 - 13,000 feet and extended with horizontal lateral lengths of approximately 5,000 feet. In the total Mid-Continent region, it operate 316 productive wells and own a working interest in an additional 1,054 non-operated productive wells. The average working interest in these productive operated and non-operated wells is 83% and 9%, respectively. The net production averaged approximately 53.2 million cubic feet of natural gas per day during 2011, of which approximately 77% was produced from wells it operated.

The Permian region contains numerous fields, including Block 27, Estes Block 34, H.S.A., Heiner, Monahans N., Payton, Running W., Ward S, and Ward-Estes N. located mainly in Ward, Pecos, and Crane Counties, Texas. These fields are located in the Central Basin Platform which extends from central Lea County in New Mexico to central Pecos County in Texas and encompasses hundreds of individual fields with multiple productive intervals from the Yates-Seven Rivers-Queen through the Ellenburger formations. The Ward County fields contains two major properties, the Louis Richter and the American National Life Ins. Co. leases, and encompasses approximately 10,285 gross and 10,215 net Eagle Rock acres. It operate multiple fields consisting of stacked multi-pay horizons that produce from depths of 2,300 feet (Yates) to 9,100 feet (Pennsylvanian). The Southern Unit is located in the Running W Waddell field and produces predominantly oil at depths from approximately 5,750 to 5,900 feet. It operates approximately 5,875 net acres in this area.

The East/South Texas/Mississippi region includes the Aker, Birch, Edgewood, Eustace, Fruitvale, Ginger and Wesson fields in East Texas, the Jourdanton field in South Texas, and the Chicora W, High Road, and Stafford Springs fields in Mississippi. The East Texas fields produce primarily from the Smackover Trend at depth! s from 12! ,000 to 12,700 feet and encompass approximately 18,991 gross and 15,872 net Eagle Rock acres. It operates 32 productive wells, which produce gas that contains between approximately 30% to 69% of impurities (hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide). The Edgewood field also contains two productive gas wells in the Cotton Valley at depths of 11,500 to 11,600 feet which produce sweet natural gas. The East Texas production, with the exception of a single well, is delivered to the third party owned Eustace Plant for separation of condensate, removal of impurities, and extraction of natural gas liquids and sulfur for a combination of fees and percentage of proceeds.

In South Texas, it operates wells in the Jourdanton field in Atascosa County, Texas. It operates nine productive wells with 100% working interest and 88% net revenue interest. Its production from the field is primarily from the Edwards carbonates (7,300 to 7,400 feet). On December 31, 2011, the Company had under operation 290 gross (261 net) productive oil wells and 301 gross (251 net) productive natural gas wells. On December 31, 2011, Eagle Rock owned non-operated working interests in an additional 148 gross (18 net) productive oil wells and 1049 gross (72 net) productive natural gas wells.

The Company competes with DCP Midstream, LLC and Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P., Crosstex Energy, L.P., Energy Transfer Partners, LP and Enterprise Products Partners, L.P.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  I recently took a brief look at one of the more unique MLPs, Eagle Rock Energy Partners (NASDAQ: EROC  ) . What makes this company unique is that it's a blend of both traditional midstream MLP assets and oil and gas production assets. Today, I want to take a closer look at those oil and gas production assets, which I think provide investors with a lot of upside potential.

• [By John Kell]

  Natural gas companies Eagle Rock Energy Partners L.P(EROC). and Regency Energy Partners L.P(RGP). said the Federal Trade Commission is requesting additional information regarding Eagle Rock’s sale of its midstream business to Regency. Eagle Rock slipped 2.6% to $4.95 premarket.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Eagle Rock Energy Partners LP (NASDAQ: EROC) dipped 17.55% to $6.06 in the pre-market session after the company lowered its quarterly distribution to $0.15 from $0.22 per unit.

Top 10 Gas Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Talisman Energy Inc.(TLM)

Talisman Energy Inc., an upstream oil and gas company, engages in the exploration, development, production, transportation, and marketing of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids. It primarily operates in North America, the North Sea, and southeast Asia. The company was founded in 1925 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sue Chang , Saumya Vaishampayan]

  $TLM: Talisman Energy Inc. (TLM) �shares fell 2.5%. Activist investor Carl Icahn disclosed a 6% stake in the oil and gas producer on Monday. Icahn said in a tweet he might discuss strategic alternatives and board seats with the company.

• [By Value Digger]

  Manitok's competitive advantage is its management team, who knows well where the shallow opportunities exist, from years of bypassing many conventional reservoirs and drilling deeper targets for Talisman Energy (TLM).

• [By Arjun Sreekumar]

  Companies backing out of Poland
  In addition to the above-ground risks of regulatory, licensing, and taxation uncertainty, disappointing initial results from shale test wells have led some companies to rethink doing business in the country. Last month, Poland's shale prospects were further dashed when Talisman Energy (NYSE: TLM  ) and Marathon Oil (NYSE: MRO  ) decided to pull out from their operations in the country.

• [By Jesse Solomon]

  Energy bet may not have paid off: The funds plowed over two billion dollars into Whiting Petroleum (WLL), Valero Energy Corporation (VLO, Fortune 500), Talisman Energy (TLM), and Cameron International (CAM, Fortune 500).

Top 10 Gas Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Transdigm Group Incorporated(TDG)

TransDigm Group Incorporated designs, produces, and supplies engineered aircraft components for use on commercial and military aircraft principally in the United States. The company?s products include mechanical/electro-mechanical actuators and controls, ignition systems and engine technology, pumps and valves, power conditioning devices, AC/DC electric motors and generators, NiCad batteries and chargers, engineered latching and locking devices, rods and locking devices, engineered connectors and elastomers, cockpit security components and systems, cockpit displays, aircraft audio systems, lavatory components, engineered interior surfaces, and lighting and control technology. Its customers comprise distributors of aerospace components; commercial airlines, including national and regional airlines; commercial transport and regional and business aircraft original equipment manufacturers (OEMs); various armed forces of the United States and foreign governments; defense OEMs; system suppliers; and various other industrial customers. TransDigm Group Incorporated was founded in 1993 and is based in Cleveland, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brendan Mathews]

  We asked which current CEOs fit the�Outsiders�mold. Thorndike reeled off a short list of names, but he started with Michael Pearson of�Valeant Pharmaceuticals� (NYSE: VRX  ) . He went on to mention Nicholas Howley of�TransDigm Group� (NYSE: TDG  ) , and Rich Kinder of�Kinder Morgan� (NYSE: KMI  ) .�

• [By Rich Smith]

  Cleveland-based TransDigm Group (NYSE: TDG  ) is buying a piece of GE.

  On Friday, as trading wound down for the week, TransDigm announced a deal to buy the Electromechanical Actuation Division of General Electric (NYSE: GE  ) Aviation for $150 million, cash. The business, which makes proprietary, highly engineered aerospace electromechanical motion control subsystems for civil and military applications, counts all three of the world's biggest airplane manufacturers -- Boeing, Airbus, and Brazil's Embraer -- among its clients, and Sikorsky and General Atomics, as well, on the military side.

• [By Monica Wolfe]

  TransDigm Group (TDG)

  Fournier maintains his largest position in TransDigm Group where he holds 2,152,710 shares. His position in TransDigm represents 4.30% of the company�� shares outstanding and 6.3% of his total portfolio.

Top 10 Gas Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Sanchez Energy Corp (SN)

Sanchez Energy Corporation, incorporated on August 22, 2011, is an independent exploration and production company. The Company is focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of unconventional oil and natural gas resources onshore along the United States Gulf Coast, primarily in the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas. The Company also has a position in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale in Mississippi and Louisiana. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had accumulated approximately 95,000 net leasehold acres in the oil and condensate, or black oil and volatile oil, windows of the Eagle Ford Shale in Gonzales, Zavala, Frio, Fayette, Lavaca, Atascosa, Webb and DeWitt Counties of South Texas. The Company's Eagle Ford Shale acreage is consists of approximately 9,700 net acres in Gonzales County, Texas, which the Company refers to as its Palmetto area, approximately 28,400 net acres in Zavala and Frio Counties, Texas, which the Company refers to as its Maverick area, and approximately 57,100 net acres in Fayette, Lavac.

The Company owns all rights and depths on the majority of its Eagle Ford Shale acreage. The Company is evaluating other zones, which may present the Company with additional drilling locations. Several of the Company's existing wells are either producing from or have logged pay in the Buda Limestone and the Austin Chalk formations.

Eagle Ford Shale

The Eagle Ford Shale is one of the unconventional shale trends in North America. In the Eagle Ford Shale, the Company has assembled approximately 95,000 net acres with an average working interest of approximately 87%. Using approximately 120 acre well-spacing for the Company's Maverick and Marquis areas and approximately 80 acre well-spacing for its Palmetto area, the Company believes that there could be up to 973 gross (815 net) locations for potential future drilling on its acreage.

In the Company's Palmetto area, the Company has approximately 9,700 net acres in Gonzales County, Texas with an! average working interest of approximately 48%. The Company has participated in the drilling of 16 gross wells on its acreage that had an average initial 24-hour production rates between 502 and 3,139 barrels of oil equivalent per day . The Company has identified up to 237 gross (113 net) locations based on 80 acre well-spacing for potential future drilling in its Palmetto area. The Company is drilling a five-well pilot program from a single pad to test 40 acre well-spacing in its southern portion of the Palmetto area, and Ryder Scott has given the Company 80 acre well-spaced PUD locations in the same area in its December 31, 2012 reserve report.

In the Company's Maverick area, the Company has approximately 28,400 net operated acres in Zavala and Frio Counties, Texas with an average working interests of approximately 87%. The Company has drilled ten gross horizontal wells that had a range of average initial 24-hour production rates between 214 and 931 barrels of oil equivalent per day . The Company has also drilled four vertical wells that had average initial 24-hour rates between 94 and 264 barrels of oil equivalent per day . The Company tests the feasibility of a vertical well development program and compare horizontal and vertical completion economic returns. The Company has identified up to 264 gross (230 net) locations based on 120 acre well-spacing for potential future drilling on its Maverick acreage.

In the Company's Marquis area, the Company has approximately 57,100 net operated acres, the majority of which are in southwest Fayette and northeast Lavaca Counties, Texas with a 100% working interest. The Company has drilled three horizontal wells that had a range of average initial 24-hour production rates between 1,114 and 1,369 barrels of oil equivalent per day . The Company has identified up to 472 gross and net locations based on 120 acre well-spacing for potential future drilling on its Marquis acreage. The Company is also drilling a 60 acre well-spacing test in the! western ! Prost area of its Marquis area.

Other

The Company has approximately 1,000 net acres in the Haynesville Shale in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, which are operated by Chesapeake Energy Corporation. The majority of the Company's Haynesville leases are held by production, giving the Company and its partners the option to accelerate drilling should natural gas prices increase.

The Company competes with Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Marathon Oil Corporation, EOG Resources, Inc., Halcon Resources Corporation, Penn Virginia Corporation and Magnum Hunter Resources Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of Penn Virginia have gained 6.2% to $15.02 today at 3:03. p.m., while Sanchez Energy (SN) has risen 5.6% to $30.92, EQT Corp (EQT) has advanced 1.1% to $101.94 and EOG Resources (EOG) is up 1.7% at $180.99.