For years, natural gas has been a relatively regional product, and producers that had access to major markets via pipelines were the only game in town. The prospect of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, exports from new places all over the world is turning that logic on its head, and so the former big bosses of natural gas are looking to maintain their prominence through an OPEC-style cartel. Let's find out why these natural gas giants are nervous and discover what an organization like OPEC could mean for the natural gas industry.
Under pressure
At the most recent meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged members to defend the traditional method of pricing natural gas, through oil-indexed, long-term contracts. According to Putin, this would be done to maintain the energy security of import countries. Even if Putin's reasoning for this kind of move sounds altruistic, there is certainly a much more self-serving reason to maintain the oil-index price structure: maintaining price control.�
Hot Gas Stocks To Buy For 2015: Transocean Ltd (RIGN.VX)
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 other operations. Contract drilling services, the Company�� primary business, includes contracting Transocean�� mobile offshore drilling fleet, related equipment and work crews primarily on a day rate basis to drill oil and gas wells. Its other operations segment includes drilling management services, and oil and gas properties. It participates in oil and gas exploration and production activities. In November 2010, it purchased a PPL Pacific Class 400 design High-Specification Jackup, which is under construction at PPL Shipyard Pte Ltd. in Singapore. Subsequent to the year ended December 31, 2010, it completed the sale of the High-Specification Jackup Trident 20. On October 4, 2011, the Company acquired, through Transocean Services AS, Aker Drilling ASA.
During 2010, the Company completed the sale of two Midwater Floaters, GSF Arctic II and GSF Arctic IV. As of February 10, 2011, Transocean owned, had partial ownership interests in or operated 138 mobile offshore drilling units. As of February 10, 2011, Transocean�� fleet consisted of 47 High-Specification Floaters (Ultra-Deepwater, Deepwater and Harsh Environment semisubmersibles and drillships), 25 Midwater Floaters, nine High-Specification Jackups, 54 Standard Jackups and three Other Rigs. In addition, the Company had one Ultra-Deepwater Floater and three High-Specification Jackups under construction. During 2010, the Company completed construction of five Ultra-Deepwater newbuilds, four of which have commenced their respective contracts. As of December 31, 2010, it held 50% interest in Transocean Pacific Drilling Inc. (TPDI), 65% interest in Angola Deepwater Drilling Company Limited (ADDCL) and a 50% interest in Overseas Drilling Limited (ODL).
Drilling Fleet
Transocean principally operates three types of drilling rig! s: drill ships, semisubmersibles and jackups. Also included in its fleet are barge drilling rigs and a coring drillship. Its fleet includes High-Specification Floaters, which consists of the Company�� Ultra-Deepwater Floaters, Deepwater Floaters and Harsh Environment Floaters; Midwater Floaters, High-Specification Jackups, Standard Jackups and Other Rigs. High-Specification Floaters are specialized offshore drilling units that it categorizes into three sub-classifications. Ultra-Deepwater Floaters are equipped with high-pressure mud pumps and are capable of drilling in water depths of 7,500 feet or greater. Deepwater Floaters include other semisubmersible rigs and drillships capable of drilling in water depths between 7,200 and 4,500 feet. Harsh Environment Floaters are capable of drilling in harsh environments in water depths between 5,000 and 1,500 feet and have greater displacement, which offers variable load capacity, useable deck space and better motion characteristics. Midwater Floaters consist of non-high-specification semisubmersibles that have a water depth capacity of less than 4,500 feet. High-Specification Jackups consist of its jackups, and Standard Jackups consist of the Company�� remaining jackup fleet.
As of February 10, 2011, Transocean�� fleet was located in the Far East (29 units), Middle East (17 units), West African countries other than Nigeria and Angola (16 units), United States Gulf of Mexico (14 units), United Kingdom North Sea (13 units), India (11 units), Brazil (10 units), Nigeria (seven units), Norway (five units), Angola (five units), the Mediterranean (three units), the Netherlands (three units), Australia (three units) and Canada (two units). As of February 10, 2011, its four rigs under construction included Deepwater Champion, Transocean Honor, High-Specification Jackup TBN1 and High-Specification Jackup TBN2. As of February 10, 2011, the Company�� Midwater Floaters included Sedco 700, Transocean Amirante, Transocean Legend, GSF Arctic I, C. Kirk Rhe! in, Jr. a! nd GSF Rig 135. As of February 10, 2011, its High-Specification Jackups included GSF Constellation I, GSF Constellation II, GSF Galaxy I, GSF Galaxy II, GSF Galaxy III and GSF Baltic. As of February 10, 2011, the Company�� Standard Jackups included Trident IX, GSF Adriatic II, GSF Adriatic IX, GSF Adriatic X, GSF Key Manhattan, GSF Key Singapore, GSF Adriatic VI and GSF Adriatic VIII.
Contract Drilling Services
Transocean�� primary business is to contract its drilling rigs, related equipment and work crews on a dayrate basis to drill oil and gas wells. Transocean�� contracts to provide offshore drilling services are individually negotiated and vary in their terms and provisions.
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). ADTI provides oil and gas drilling management services on a dayrate basis or a completed-project, fixed-price (or turnkey) basis, as well as drilling engineering and drilling project management services. As part of its turnkey 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 o! ther serv! ices include integrated services. As of February 10, 2011, it was performing such services in India.
Oil and Gas Properties
The Company conducts oil and gas exploration, development and production activities through its oil and gas subsidiaries. It acquires interests in oil and gas properties principally in order to facilitate the awarding of turnkey contracts for Transocean's drilling management services operations. The Company�� oil and gas activities are conducted through Challenger Minerals Inc. and Challenger Minerals (North Sea) Limited (together, CMI), which hold property interests primarily in the United States offshore Louisiana and Texas and in the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Anna Prior]
Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Monday’s session are ViroPharma Inc.(VPHM), Transocean Ltd.(RIGN.VX) and Gogo Inc.(GOGO)
Top 10 Oil Stocks To Buy Right Now: Tallgrass Energy Partners LP (TEP)
Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP incorporated on February 6, 2013, is a limited partnership company. It provides natural gas transportation and storage services for customers in the Rocky Mountain and Midwest regions of the United States through its Tallgrass Interstate Gas transportation system and processing services for customers in Wyoming through its Midstream Facilities. The Company operates in two segments: Gas Transportation and Storage and Processing. The Gas Transportation and Storage segment is engaged in ownership and operation of interstate natural gas pipelines and related natural gas storage facilities that provide services to third-party natural gas distribution utilities and other shippers. The Processing segment is engaged in ownership and operation of natural gas processing and treating facilities that produce natural gas liquids and residue gas that is sold in local wholesale markets or delivered into pipelines for transportation to additional end markets.
The Company provides processing services for customers in Wyoming through its Casper and Douglas natural gas processing and West Frenchie Draw natural gas treating facilities. The Casper and Douglas plants have combined capacity of 138.5 138.5 MMcf/d. The Company has its operations in Lakewood, Colarado. The Company owns and natural gas processing plants in Casper and Douglas, Wyoming and a natural gas treating facility at West Frenchie Draw, Wyoming through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tallgrass Midstream, LLC.
The Company competes with Kinder Morgan and Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Rapier]
Tallgrass Energy Partners (NYSE: TEP) is a midstream limited partnership that provides natural gas transportation and storage services in the Rocky Mountain and Midwest regions of the US. The partnership launched on May 13, 2013 and in late June increased EBITDA guidance above analysts’ expectations, causing units to climb nearly 21 percent by year-end. In December TEP reiterated guidance for 1.2x distribution coverage for the entire year. The partnership recently declared a distribution of $0.3150 per unit for the fourth quarter of 2013 – a 5.9 percent increase from the Q3 2013 distribution. TEP’s annualized yield based on the most recent distribution is 4.8 percent, its current EV is $1.28 billion and its total debt/equity (mrq) is 30.5 percent.
- [By Aimee Duffy]
Tallgrass Energy Partners (NYSE: TEP ) followed closely behind, going public on May 14. This midstream company picked up some of Kinder Morgan Energy Partners'�western-based natural gas assets when KMP was forced to divest them to receive the Department of Justice's blessing on the El Paso acquisition.
Top 10 Oil Stocks To Buy Right Now: Emerge Energy Services LP (EMES)
Emerge Energy Services LP, incorporated on April 27, 2012, owns, operates, acquires and develops a diversified portfolio of energy service assets. The Company operates in two segments: Sand segment, and Fuel Processing and Distribution segment. Sand segment consists of mining and processing frac sand, a component used in hydraulic fracturing of oil and natural gas wells. The Company�� frac sand facilities are located in New Auburn, Wisconsin, Barron County, Wisconsin and Kosse, Texas. Fuel Processing and Distribution segment consists of acquiring, processing and separating the transmix that results when multiple types of refined petroleum products are transported sequentially through a pipeline. The Company�� Fuel Processing and Distribution segment consists of its operations in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and Birmingham, Alabama.
Sand Segment
The Company�� Wisconsin sand reserves at its New Auburn and Barron facilities provide the Company access to a range of sand that meets or exceeds all API specifications and includes a concentration of 16/30, 20/40 and 30/50 mesh sands. The Company�� New Auburn dry plant facility has a rated production capacity of 4,200 tons per day, or roughly 40 rail cars, and has on-site rail car loading facilities capable of loading up to approximately 10,000 tons of frac sand into rail cars per day. The Company also has 4.5 miles of existing rail track that connects its facility to the Union Pacific rail line and provides the Company with shipping access to all of the shale basins in the United States and Canada with direct access to areas of oil production in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and the western United States. The Company�� Barron facility consists of a sand mine and a wet plant on land. This facility has a rated production capacity of 8,800 tons per day, or roughly 80 rail cars, and has on-site rail car loading facilities capable of loading up to approximately 10,000 tons of frac sand into rail cars per day. The Company ! also mine frac sand at its facility in Kosse, Texas that is processed into a high-quality, 100 mesh frac sand, generally used in dry gas drilling applications.
Fuel Processing and Distribution Segment
The transmix industry consists of businesses that process and separate transportation mixture, which is the liquid interface, or fuel mixture, that forms when multiple types of petroleum products are transported sequentially through a pipeline. Pipeline operators send large batches of different fuel products (such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel) through the same pipeline, in sequence, to receiving terminals. The Company�� Fuel Processing and Distribution segment consists of its facilities in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and in Birmingham, Alabama, which are operated by Direct Fuels and AEC, respectively.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Adam Galas]
Emerge Energy Services� (NYSE: EMES ) is a new variable distribution MLP that operates in two segments: fuels and fracking sand. It has no general partner, incentive distribution rights, or minimum quarterly distribution. Instead it pays out 100% of distributable cash flow to its unit holders. Long-term contracts are designed to minimize cash flow variability and prevent the kind of high distribution variability seen in typical variable MLPs (such as refiners or fertilizer partnerships).�
- [By Robert Rapier]
The fracking revolution has created enormous opportunities for Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) across the oil and gas industry. Upstream MLPs like�BreitBurn Energy Partners�(NASDAQ: BBEP) and�Legacy Reserves�(NASDAQ: LGCY) produced the oil and gas. There was a huge new requirement for sand in the fracking operations, and this encouraged new MLPs like�Emerge Energy Services�(NYSE: EMES) and�Hi-Crush Partners�(NYSE:HCLP) — both of which have more than doubled in price over the past 12 months. Fracking also requires large volumes of water, which�Cypress Energy Partners�(NYSE: CELP) provides.
- [By Aimee Duffy]
May�
We had two MLP IPOs in May. First up was Emerge Energy Services (NYSE: EMES ) , which hit the books on May 9, and is up 16% already. The partnership has a sand segment and a fuel processing and distribution segment, which engages primarily in the separation of transmix.
Top 10 Oil Stocks To Buy Right Now: Chevron Corp (CHV)
Chevron Corporation (Chevron), incorporated on January 27, 1926, manages its investments in subsidiaries and affiliates and provides administrative, financial, management and technology support to the United States and international subsidiaries that engage in fully integrated petroleum operations, chemicals operations, mining activities, power generation and energy services. Upstream operations consist primarily of exploring for, developing and producing crude oil and natural gas; processing, liquefaction, transportation and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transporting crude oil by international oil export pipelines; transporting, storage and marketing of natural gas, and a gas-to-liquids project. Downstream operations consist primarily of refining crude oil into petroleum products; marketing of crude oil and refined products; transporting crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment and rail car, and manufacturing and marketing of commodity petrochemicals, plastics for industrial uses and fuel and lubricant additives.
Upstream
At December 31, 2012, Chevron owned or had under lease or similar agreements undeveloped and developed crude oil and natural gas properties worldwide. Upstream activities in the United States are concentrated in California, the Gulf of Mexico, Colorado, Louisiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming. During the year ended December 31, 2012, average net oil-equivalent production in the United States was 655,000 barrels per day. In 2012, net daily production averaged 163,000 barrels of crude oil, 70 million cubic feet of natural gas and 4,000 barrels of natural gas liquids (NGLs). During 2012, net daily production for the Company�� combined interests in the Gulf of Mexico shelf and deepwater areas, and the onshore fields in the region, were 153,000 barrels of crude oil, 395 million cubic feet of natural gas and 16,000 barrels of NGL.
The! Company was engaged in various exploration and development activities in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico during 2012. As of December 31, 2012, it had a 50% working interest in Jack and a 51% working interest in St. Malo Field. During 2013, the Company had 42.9% non-operated working interest in the Tubular Bells Field; 20.3% non-operated working interest in the Caesar and Tonga area, and 15.6% non-operated working interest in the Mad Dog II Project. The Company activities in the mid-continental United States include operated and non-operated interests in properties primarily in Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming. The Company holds leases in the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale, primarily located in southwestern Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, and in the Antrim Shale in Michigan. Other Americas is consistd of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. Net oil-equivalent production from these countries averaged 230,000 barrels per day during 2012, including the Company�� share of synthetic oil production.
Chevron�� interests in oil sands projects and shale acreage in Alberta, shale acreage and an LNG project in British Columbia, exploration, development and production projects offshore in the Atlantic region, and exploration and discovered resource interests in the Beaufort Sea region of the Northwest Territories. Average net oil-equivalent production during 2012, was 69,000 barrels per day, consisted of 25,000 barrels of crude oil, four million cubic feet of natural gas and 43,000 barrels of synthetic oil from oil sands. During 2012, the Company held a 20% non-operated working interest in the Athabasca Oil Sands Project (AOSP). In February 2013, Chevron acquired a 50%-owned and operated interest in the Kitimat LNG project and proposed Pacific Trail Pipeline, and a 50% non-operated working interest in 644,000 total acres in the Horn River and Liard shale gas basins in British Colombia; 26.9% non-operated working interest in the Hib! ernia Fie! ld and a 23.6 non-operated working interest in the unitized Hibernia Southern Extension (HSE) offshore Atlantic Canada, and 26.6% non-operated working interest in the heavy-oil Hebron Field, also offshore Atlantic Canada.
In December 2012, Chevron relinquished its 29.2% non-operated working interest in Exploration License 2007/26, which includes Block 4 offshore West Greenland. The Company holds operated interests in four concessions in the Neuquen Basin. Working interests range from 18.8% to 100%. In 2012, the net oil-equivalent production averaged 22,000 barrels per day, consisted of 21,000 barrels of crude oil and four million cubic feet of natural gas. During 2012, two exploratory wells targeting shale gas and tight oil resources were drilled in the Vaca Muerta formation in the El Trapial concession. Chevron holds working interests in three deepwater fields in the Campos Basin: Frade (51.7%-owned and operated), Papa-Terra and Maromba (37.5% and 30% non-operated working interests, respectively). Net oil-equivalent production in 2012 averaged 6,000 barrels per day, consisted of 6,000 barrels of crude oil and two million cubic feet of natural gas.
In Africa, the Company is engaged in upstream activities in Angola, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Morocco, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone and South Africa. Net oil-equivalent production in Africa averaged 451,000 barrels per day during 2012. In Asia, the Company is engaged in upstream activities in Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Myanmar, the Partitioned Zone located between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, the Philippines, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam. During 2012, net oil-equivalent production averaged 1,061,000 barrels per day. In Australia, the Company�� upstream efforts are concentrated off the northwest coast. During 2012, the average net oil-equivalent production from Australia was 99,000 barrels per day. In Europe, the Company is engag! ed in ups! tream activities in Bulgaria, Denmark, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Net oil-equivalent production in Europe averaged 114,000 barrels per day during 2012.
Downstream
The Company markets petroleum products under the principal brands of Chevron, Texaco and Caltex worldwide. In the United States, the Company markets under the Chevron and Texaco brands. During 2012, the Company supplied directly or through retailers and marketers approximately 8,060 Chevron- and Texaco-branded motor vehicle service stations, primarily in the southern and western states. Approximately 470 of these outlets are company-owned or -leased stations. Outside the United States, the Company supplied directly or through retailers and marketers approximately 8,700 branded service stations, including affiliates. In British Columbia, Canada, the Company markets under the Chevron brand. The Company markets in Latin America and the Caribbean using the Texaco brand. In the Asia-Pacific region, southern Africa, Egypt and Pakistan, the Company uses the Caltex brand. The Company also operates through affiliates under various brand names. In South Korea, the Company operates through its 50%-owned affiliate, GS Caltex, and in Australia through its 50%-owned affiliate, Caltex Australia Limited.
The Company owns a 50% interest in its Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC (CPChem) affiliate. During 2012, CPChem owned or had joint-venture interests in 36 manufacturing facilities and two research development centers worldwide. The Company�� Oronite brand lubricant and fuel additives business is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of performance additives for lubricating oils and fuels. The Company owns and operates facilities in Brazil, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore and the United States and has interests in facilities in India and Mexico. Oronite lubricant additives are blended into refined base oil to produce finished lubricant packages us! ed primar! ily in engine applications, such as passenger car, heavy-duty diesel, marine, locomotive and motorcycle engines.
Transportation
The Company owns and operates a network of crude oil, refined product, chemical, natural gas liquid and natural gas pipelines and other infrastructure assets in the United States. The Company also has direct and indirect interests in other the United States and international pipelines. All tankers in the Company�� controlled seagoing fleet were utilized during 2012. During 2012, the Company had 51 deep-sea vessels chartered on a voyage basis, or for a period of less than one year. The Company�� the United States-flagged fleet is engaged primarily in transporting refined products between the Gulf Coast and the East Coast and from California refineries to terminals on the West Coast and in Alaska and Hawaii. The foreign-flagged vessels are engaged primarily in transporting crude oil from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the Black Sea, South America, Mexico and West Africa to ports in the United States, Europe, Australia and Asia. The Company�� foreign-flagged vessels also transport refined products to and from various locations worldwide.
Other Businesses
During 2012, the Company completed the sale of its Kemmerer, Wyoming, surface coal mine and the sale of its 50% interest in Youngs Creek Mining Company, LLC, which was formed to develop a coal mine in northern Wyoming.Chevron also owns and operates the Questa molybdenum mine in New Mexico. During 2012, it had 160 million tons of proven and probable coal reserves in the United States, including reserves of low-sulfur coal. The Company�� Global Power Company manages interests in 11 power assets with a total operating capacity of more than 2,200 megawatts, primarily through joint ventures in the United States and Asia. Chevron Energy Solutions (CES) completed several public sector programs, including a microgrid at the Santa Rita jail in Alameda County, and renewable and e! fficiency! programs for Huntington Beach City School District, South San Francisco Unified School District and Union City, all in California, plus Rootstown Local School District in Ohio. The Company�� energy technology organization supports Chevron�� upstream and downstream businesses by providing technology, services and competency development in earth sciences; reservoir and production engineering; drilling and completions; facilities engineering; manufacturing; process technology; catalysis; technical computing, and health, environment and safety disciplines.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Chris Ciovacco]
The Energy Select Sector Spider provides exposure to a diversified basket of energy stocks, including Exxon (XOM), Chevron (CHV) and ConocoPhillips (COP). As the chart shows below, XLE has established a bullish weekly trend relative to the broader S&P 500 Index (SPY).
Top 10 Oil Stocks To Buy Right Now: Northern Tier Energy LP (NTI)
Northern Tier Energy LP, formerly Northern Tier Energy, Inc., incorporated in October 21, 2011, is an independent downstream energy company with refining, retail, and pipeline operations that serves the PADD II region of the United States. The Company operates its assets in two business segments: the refining business and the retail business. The Company owns three pipelines. The Company's operations will be conducted through, and its operating assets will be owned by, its wholly owned subsidiary, Northern Tier Energy LLC, and its subsidiaries. Effective November 12, 2013, Western Refining Inc acquired a 38.681% interest in Northern Tier Energy LP.
Refining Business
The Company�� refining business primarily consists of a 74,000 barrels per calendar day (84,500 barrels per stream day) refinery located in St. Paul Park, Minnesota. Its location allows it to distribute its refined products throughout the midwestern United States. The Company�� refinery produces a slate of refined products, including gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and asphalt, which are then marketed to resellers and consumers primarily in the PADD II region. It also owns various storage and transportation assets, including a light products terminal, a heavy products terminal, storage tanks, rail loading/unloading facilities and a Mississippi river dock. The Company�� refining business also includes its 17% interest in the Minnesota Pipe Line Company, which owns and operates the Minnesota Pipeline, a 455,000 barrels per calendar day crude oil pipeline system that transports crude oil (primarily from Western Canada and North Dakota) for approximately 300 miles from the Enbridge pipeline hub at Clearbrook, Minnesota to its refinery.
As of March 31, 2012, the Company's storage assets included 84 hydrocarbon storage tanks with a total capacity of 3.7 million barrels (156 million gallons), 0.8 million barrels of crude oil storage and 2.9 million barrels of feedstock and product storage. The Company�� r! efinery supplies all of the gasoline and diesel sold in its company-operated and franchised convenience stores, as well as all of the gasoline and diesel sold in 90 independently owned and operated Marathon branded stores in its marketing area. The Minnesota Pipe Line Company owns the Minnesota Pipeline, a crude oil pipeline system in Minnesota that transports crude oil to the St. Paul area. The Minnesota Pipeline system has multiple lines that run approximately 300 miles from Clearbrook in Clearwater County, Minnesota to Dakota County, Minnesota, transporting crude oil received through the Enbridge pipeline connections at Clearbrook from Western Canada and North Dakota to our refinery and Koch Industries�� Flint Hills Resources refinery in Minnesota.
Retail Business
As of March 31, 2012, the Company�� retail business operated 166 convenience stores under the SuperAmerica brand and also supported 67 franchised convenience stores, which are also operated under the SuperAmerica brand. These convenience stores are located primarily in Minnesota and Wisconsin and sell various grades of gasoline and diesel, tobacco products and immediately consumable items, such as non-alcoholic beverages, beer, prepared food and a range of snacks and prepackaged items. It also owns and operates SuperMom�� Bakery, which prepares and distributes baked goods and other prepared food items for sale in its company-operated and franchised convenience stores and other third party locations.
The Company has a retail-marketing network of 233 convenience stores, as of March 31, 2012, located throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota, of which it operates 166 stores and support 67 franchised stores. All of its company-operated and franchised convenience stores are operated under the SuperAmerica brand. It also owns and operates SuperMom�� Bakery, which prepares and distributes baked goods and other prepared items for sale in its retail outlets and for other third parties. Its refine! ry suppli! es all of the gasoline and diesel sold in its company-operated and franchised convenience stores. The Company has retail customers, which primarily include retail end-users, motorists and commercial drivers. It had a retail-marketing network of 233 convenience stores, as of March 31, 2012, located throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota, of which it operated 166 stores and support 67 franchised stores.
The Company competes with Koch Industries��Flint Hills Resources Refinery, Holiday, Kwik Trip and Wal-Mart.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Stoyan Bojinov]
The Connecticut-based petroleum refiner, Northern Tier Energy LP (NTI), announced on Tuesday that it has entered into an agreement that would sell it off to Western Refining Inc. in a deal reportedly worth $775 million.
Northern Tier Energy said that its private equity sponsors, ACON Investments and TPG, have struck a definitive agreement that would sell all of their interests in the East Coast refining company to Texas-based Western Refining. According to sources, the deal also includes the distribution on the common shares acquired with respect to the last quarter ending on 9/30/2013; as a result, Western Refining now owns the general partner in its entirety along with a 38.7% stake in Northern Tier Energy.
Western Refining will be acquiring a refinery in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the company commented that this transaction, which was signed and closed today, would immediately be reflected in its earnings and cash flow.
Northern Tier Energy LP shares rallied higher today, gaining 3.35% as the closing bell rang.
- [By Robert Rapier]
Northern Tier Energy (NYSE: NTI) will report earnings this week. The partnership closed last week down less than 1 percent, but interested investors should find a cheaper entry point this week as earnings will undoubtedly be disappointing.
Top 10 Oil Stocks To Buy Right Now: BG Group PLC (BRGYY.PK)
BG Group plc (BG Group), incorporated on December 30, 1998, is a natural gas company. The Company is engaged in the exploration, development and production of natural gas and oil. he Company operates in two business segments: Exploration and Production (E&P) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The Company manages its business on an integrated basis across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Central and South Asia, and Australia. The Company has interests in more than 20 countries on five continents.
Exploration and Production
E&P consists of exploration, development, production and marketing of hydrocarbons with a focus on natural gas. BG Group�� Upstream segment covers exploration and production activities for gas, oil and liquids, plus liquefaction operations associated with integrated LNG projects.
Liquefied Natural Gas
BG Group�� LNG activities combine liquefaction and regasification facilities with the purchasing, shipping, marketing and sale of LNG. The Company has interest in liquefaction facilities in Egypt and Trinidad and Tobago. BG Group�� LNG Shipping & Marketing segment covers the purchasing, shipping, marketing and sale of LNG, as well as the Group�� interests and capacity in regasification facilities.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Heather Ingrassia]
On Thursday, August 15, GasLog (GLOG) announced that it had ordered two new 174K cbm Tri-Fuel Diesel Electric LNG carriers from Samsung Heavy Industries. These carriers are expected to be delivered in 2016 which is the same year the company will begin seven-year charters with BG Group (BRGYY.PK) (BRGXF.PK).
Top 10 Oil Stocks To Buy Right Now: Marlin Midstream Partners LP (FISH)
Marlin Midstream Partners, LP, incorporated on April 19, 2013, develops, owns, operates and acquires midstream energy assets. The Company provides natural gas gathering, transportation, treating and processing services and One million cubic feet (NGL) transportation services, which it refer to as its midstream natural gas business, and crude oil transloading services, which it refer to as its crude oil logistics business. The Company operates in two segments: Midstream Natural Gas and Crude Oil Logistics. Its primary midstream natural gas assets consist of two related natural gas processing facilities located in Panola County, Texas; a natural gas processing facility located in Tyler County, Texas; two natural gas gathering systems connected to its Panola County processing facilities, and two NGL transportation pipelines that connect its Panola County and Tyler County processing facilities to third party NGL pipelines.
Midstream Natural Gas
The Company's primary midstream natural gas assets consist of two related natural gas processing facilities located in Panola County, Texas with an approximate design capacity of 220 One million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d), a natural gas processing facility located in Tyler County, Texas with an approximate design capacity of 80 MMcf/d, two natural gas gathering systems connected to its Panola County processing facilities that include approximately 65 miles of natural gas pipelines with an approximate design capacity of 200 MMcf/d, and two NGL transportation pipelines with an approximate design capacity of 20,000 Stock tank barrel per day (Bbls/d) that connect its Panola County and Tyler County processing facilities to third party NGL pipelines. Its primary midstream natural gas assets are located in long-lived oil and natural gas producing regions in East Texas and gather and process NGL-rich natural gas streams associated with production primarily from the Cotton Valley Sands, Haynesville Shale, Austin Chalk and Eaglebine formations.
Crude Oil Logistics
The Company's crude oil logistics assets consist of two crude oil transloading facilities: its Wildcat facility located in Carbon County, Utah, where it operates one skid transloader and two ladder transloaders, and its Big Horn facility located in Big Horn County, Wyoming, where the Company operates one skid transloader and one ladder transloader. Its transloaders are used to unload crude oil from tanker trucks and load crude oil into railcars and temporary storage tanks. It�� Wildcat and Big Horn facilities provide transloading services for production originating from well-established crude oil producing basins, such as the Uinta and Powder River Basins. Its skid transloaders each have a transloading capacity of 475 Stock tank barrel per hour (Bbls/hr), and its ladder transloaders each have a transloading capacity of 210 Bbls/hr.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Aimee Duffy]
The surge of master limited partnership initial public offerings continued this week, as Phillips 66 Partners (NYSE: PSXP ) and Marlin Midstream Partners� (NASDAQ: FISH ) commenced trading. In this video, Fool.com contributor Aimee Duffy looks at both of these IPOs, breaking down the potential opportunities for investors.
- [By Marc Bastow]
Mid-stream energy asset manager Marlin Midstream Partners (FISH) raised its quarterly dividend 1% to 35.5 cents per share payable May 6 to shareholders of record May 1. At nearly an 8% dividend yield, FISH is the highest yielder of this week’s dividend stocks.
FISH Dividend Yield: 7.85% - [By Robert Rapier] In last week’s MLP Investing Insider (MLPII) I took a look at the MLP IPOs from the first half of 2013. Today I review the half dozen that have debuted in the second half of 2013.
Phillips 66 Partners (NYSE: PSXP) launched on July 23 as one of the most anticipated IPOs this year. PSXP owns some of the midstream logistics assets of its sponsor, Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX). PSXP has yet to announce its first distribution, but according to the IPO prospectus the minimum yield will be $0.85 per unit on an annualized basis. At the current unit price, this equates to a minimum annual yield of 2.8 percent, which is mainly a function of the huge run-up in unit price between the IPO pricing and today’s unit price. If the distribution does come in near the minimum, the unit price will almost certainly correct downward following the announcement.
Marlin Midstream Partners (Nasdaq: FISH) launched on July 26. The partnership provides natural gas gathering, transportation, treating and processing services, NGL transportation services and crude oil transloading services. Marlin’s assets include three natural gas processing facilities in Texas, two natural gas gathering systems, two NGL transportation pipelines, and two crude oil transloading facilities. Marlin expects most of the gross margin to be generated under fee-based, minimum volume commercial agreements.
Marlin targets a coverage ratio of 1.10x to support distributions. Marlin’s partnership agreement provides for a minimum quarterly distribution of $0.35 per unit for each whole quarter, or $1.40 per unit on an annualized basis. The prorated distribution for the two months of the recently concluded quarter since tje IPO should be announced soon. The minimum annual yield based on the current unit price is projected at 7.7 percent. The unit price has declined 6 percent since the IPO.
- [By Robert Rapier]
Performance so far has been consistent with the advances enjoyed by most of the MLP IPOs over the past year. In fact a few of them made major advances. As discussed in last week�� article No Letup for Last Year�� Top IPO, the best performing MLP of the year so far is Phillips 66 Partners (NYSE: PSXP), which came public last summer and is up 48 percent year-to-date. Of course, there are some exceptions. Marlin Midstream Partners (Nasdaq: FISH) conducted its IPO three days after Phillips 66 Partners last year, and it has traded below its IPO price since. �
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