Top Oil Companies To Invest In Right Now

There's a lot of clamor about using natural gas to fuel trucking fleets in the United States, and now it looks as if several retail and consumer-goods companies want it to happen. Some companies, including UPS (NYSE: UPS  ) , are quick to catch on, and others aren't far behind. While natural gas might not be the perfect solution for every part of the country, fleet vehicles in certain parts of the country could benefit greatly from the $1.50 discount per gallon equivalent that natural gas has over diesel.�

Fleet vehicles and trucking have been in the sights of natural gas for quite some time, and several companies are tailoring their business to spur the evolution. In this video, Fool.com contributor Tyler Crowe talks with Aimee Duffy about what makes fleet vehicles the best candidates for natural gas and who stands to benefit from expanded natural gas use.�

As the most advanced designer of engines powered by natural gas, Westport Innovations is a small company with a big goal: To lead the world in transitioning away from traditional oil-based fossil fuels in favor of abundant, cheap, and clean natural gas. The company has a price tag large enough to match its ambition, and will need to grow revenue quickly in order to justify sky-high expectations. To help you determine whether Westport Innovations is right for your portfolio, The Motley Fool has just released a brand-new premium report breaking down the company's opportunities, competitive advantages, and risks. To get started, simply click here now for instant access.

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Buy For 2015: Western Refining Inc.(WNR)

Western Refining, Inc. operates as an independent crude oil refiner and marketer of refined products. The company operates in three segments Refining Group, Wholesale Group, and Retail Group. The Refining Group segment operates two refineries in Texas and Mexico; two stand-alone refined product distribution terminals in New Mexico; and four asphalt terminals in Texas, as well as operates crude oil transportation and gathering pipeline system in New Mexico. It refines various grades of gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, and other products from crude oil, other feedstocks, and blending components; and acquires refined products through exchange agreements and from various third-party suppliers. This segment sells its products through its wholesale group and service stations, independent wholesalers and retailers, commercial accounts, and sales and exchanges with oil companies. The Wholesale Group segment distributes commercial wholesale petroleum products primarily in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah for retail fuel distributors, as well as for the mining, construction, utility, manufacturing, transportation, aviation, and agricultural industries. The Retail Group segment operates service stations, which include convenience stores or kiosks that sell various grades of gasoline, diesel fuel, general merchandise, and beverage and food products to the general public. As of February 24, 2012, it operated 210 service stations with convenience stores or kiosks located in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in El Paso, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Remember when oil refiners like Marathon Petroleum (MPC), Valero (VLO),�Western Refining�(WNR) and Tesoro (TSO) were getting a boost from the widening differential between the prices of oil in U.S. and Europe? Well, those days may be over.

Top Oil Companies To Invest In Right Now: Equal Energy Ltd (EQU)

Equal Energy Ltd. (Equal), incorporated on April 8, 2010, is an exploration and production company with oil and gas properties located principally in Alberta, and Oklahoma. Equal is engaged in the exploration for, and acquisition, development and production of, petroleum and natural gas with operations in western Canada and Oklahoma. During the year ended December 31, 2011, production averaged 10,142 barrel of oil equivalent per day and was consisted of approximately 47% natural gas, 23% crude oil and 30% natural gas liquids (NGLs). Equal Energy Production Partnership (EEPP) holds all of Equal�� Canadian oil and gas properties and associated assets. Equal and Equal Energy Partner Corp. (EEPC) are the partners in EEPP and respectively hold a 99.9957% and 0.0043% interest in EEPP. Equal Energy US Holdings Inc. (EEUSHI) is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Equal. EEUSHI holds all of Equal�� Oklahoma oil and gas properties and associated assets through its wholly owned subsidiary, Equal Energy US Inc. On January 31, 2012, it sold Primate. During 2011, it sold non-core assets in Alberta and British Columbia. On October 15, 2012, it sold the Halkirk/Alliance/Wainwright/Clair Assets (HAWC) and all remaining Canadian non-producing assets. Effective October 1, 2012, the Company sold its Lochend Cardium assets.

The Company�� production comes from both its Canadian and United States based operations. The Canadian core areas lie in western Canada and include assets primarily in the province of Alberta. The United States area assets are located mainly in the Grant, Jefferson, Lincoln and Logan counties of Oklahoma. It also has an inventory of minor producing assets, minor royalty interests and various exploration and exploitation prospects on undeveloped lands in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Oklahoma.

Alberta

The Company�� assets include a 100% working interest in 7,360 gross (4,260 net) acres of land (1,220 net undeveloped acres), 16 producing wells, six water inj! ection wells, and a interest in an oil blending facility. Natural gas is conserved and processed at the Encana Sexsmith gas plant. Oil is delivered into the Pembina Peace Pipeline System. Oil and natural gas production is primarily from the Doe Creek (Dunvegan) formation. There is also natural gas production from one Charlie Lake well. As of December 31, 2011, average working interest production was 227 barrel per day of oil and 316 million cubic feet per day of natural gas.

Lochend is located approximately 20 kilometers northwest of Calgary. At Lochend, the Company holds 8,653 gross (7,996 net) acres of land with 5,970 net undeveloped acres, and 11 producing wells. Oil is produced into single or multi-well batteries and trucked to terminal facilities. Half of the solution gas is conserved at the TriOil Shiningbank gas plant by the third quarter majority of the gas should be conserved. Oil and natural gas production is from the Cardium formation. As of December 31, 2011, average working interest production was 330 barrel per day of oil and 69 thousand cubic feet per day of gas. The McDaniel Report has assigned total proved plus probable reserves of 1,621 thousand barrels of crude oil, 2.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas, and 64.8 thousand barrels of NGL to the Lochend property.

Oklahoma

In Oklahoma the principal producing horizon is the Hunton formation. The Hunton is a carbonate rock formation. As of December 31, 2011, average Hunton production in Oklahoma was 29.9 million cubic feet of natural gas per day of natural gas and 3,862 barrels of oil per day of crude oil and NGLs. The Haas Report has attributed total proved and probable reserves of 499 thousand barrels of crude oil, and 108 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 13,931 thousand barrels of NGLs to the Hunton.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Leading and Lagging Sectors
  In trading on Friday, energy shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.06 percent. Among the leading sector stocks, gains came from Equal Energy (NYSE: EQU) and Niska Gas Storage Partners LLC (NYSE: NKA). Financial sector was the leading decliner in the US market today.

Top Oil Companies To Invest In Right Now: Valero Energy Corporation(VLO)

Valero Energy Corporation operates as an independent petroleum refining and marketing company. The company operates through three segments: Refining, Ethanol, and Retail. The Refining segment engages in refining, wholesale marketing, product supply and distribution, and transportation operations. It produces conventional gasoline, distillates, jet fuel, asphalt, petrochemicals, lubricants, and other refined products. This segment also offers conventional blendstock for oxygenate blending, reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygenate blending, gasoline meeting the specifications of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), CARB diesel fuel, low-sulfur and ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel. The Ethanol segment produces ethanol and distillers grains. The Retail segment sells transportation fuels at retail stores and unattended self-service cardlocks; convenience store merchandise and services in retail stores; and home heating oil to residential customers. Valero Energy Corpora tion markets its refined products through bulk and rack marketing network; and sells refined products through a network of approximately 6,800 retail and wholesale branded outlets under the Valero, Diamond Shamrock, Shamrock, Ultramar, Beacon, and Texaco names in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Aruba, and Ireland. As of December 31, 2011, it owned 16 petroleum refineries with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3.0 million barrels per day; and operated 10 ethanol plants with a combined nameplate production capacity of approximately 1.1 billion gallons per year. The company was formerly known as Valero Refining and Marketing Company and changed its name to Valero Energy Corporation in August 1997. Valero Energy Corporation was founded in 1955 and is based in San Antonio, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Dzombak]

  Today's oil and gas stocks leaders were all refiners. Last Friday, the EPA announced new rules for gasoline that include a 67% reduction in sulfur in an effort to improve air quality. On Tuesday, the sector was crushed after a spokesman for Valero (NYSE: VLO  ) said the company expected the new EPA rules for gasoline would cost it $300-$400 million over the next few years. That announcement sent the stock down 6% on Tuesday, and the sector as a whole fell with it. The decline continued yesterday, as the market was also down.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Valero Energy (NYSE: VLO  ) is expected to report Q2 earnings around July 23. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

  The 10-second takeaway
  Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict Valero Energy's revenues will compress -12.9% and EPS will shrink -35.3%.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  But higher prices aren't always good for businesses. For instance, Valero Energy (NYSE: VLO  ) today warned that its earnings would be lower than expected, as discounts for U.S. crude have largely disappeared. For Valero and its fellow refiners, rising oil prices raise their costs, while there's no guarantee that retail gasoline prices, which are determined by world markets, will follow suit.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  That might explain why refiners are holding up better than expected today. Valero (VLO) has gained 3% to $35, while Tesoro (TSO) has risen 1.6% to $41.19.

Top Oil Companies To Invest In Right Now: Kinder Morgan Management LLC (KMR)

Kinder Morgan Management, LLC is a limited partner in Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P (KMP), and manages and controls its business and affairs pursuant to a delegation of control agreement. Kinder Morgan G.P., Inc., of which Kinder Morgan, Inc. indirectly owns all of the outstanding common equity, is the general partner of Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. (KMP). Kinder Morgan G.P., Inc., pursuant to a delegation of control agreement among the Company, Kinder Morgan G.P., Inc. and KMP, has delegated to the Company, to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law and KMP�� limited partnership agreement, all of its rights and powers to manage and control the business and affairs of KMP, subject to the general partner�� right to approve specified actions.

KPM is a pipeline limited partnerships in the United States. KMP owns an investment in or operates approximately 28,000 miles of pipelines and 180 terminals. Its pipelines transport products, such as natural gas, crude oil, gasoline, and CO2, and its terminals store petroleum products and chemicals and handle materials like coal. Almost all of Kinder Morgan assets are owned by KMP, KMP operates in five business segments : Natural Gas Pipelines, Products Pipelines, CO2, Terminals and Kinder Morgan Canada.

Kinder Morgan is a transporter and marketer of carbon dioxide in North America. It delivers approximately 1.3 billion cubic feet per day of CO2 through about 1,300 miles of pipelines. It is an oil producer in Texas, producing over 55,000 barrels of oil per day at the SACROC Unit and the Yates Field in the Permian Basin. In addition to CO2 pipelines and oil producing fields, this business segment owns interests in and operates CO2 source fields, natural gas and gasoline processing plants, and a crude oil pipeline. Kinder Morgan owns and operates approximately 24,000 miles of gas pipelines in the Rocky Mountains, the Midwest and Texas. Through its Products Pipelines business unit, it transports over two million barre! ls per day of gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, natural gas liquids and other fuels through more than 8,000 miles of pipelines. The Company also has approximately 50 liquids terminals in this business segment that store fuels and offer blending services for ethanol and other products.

Kinder Morgan have more than 180 terminals that store petroleum products and chemicals, and handle bulk materials like coal, petroleum coke and steel products. Kinder Morgan operates a number of pipeline systems and terminal facilities in Canada including the Trans Mountain pipeline, the Express and Platte pipelines, the Cochin pipeline, the Puget Sound and the Trans Mountain Jet Fuel pipelines, the Westridge marine terminal, the Vancouver Wharves terminal in British Columbia and the North Forty terminal in Edmonton, Alberta.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Kinder’s little boost of confidence appears to have worked today. Kinder Morgan’s shares have gained 3% to $36.28 today, while Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (KMP) has ticked up 0.2% to $80.38. Kinder Morgan Management (KMR) has dropped 1.7% to $75.41.

• [By Philip Springer]

  Kinder Morgan is a pioneer in the rapidly growing niche of energy master limited partnerships (MLPs). But the company reversed course this week, and announced that it will put all of its MLP assets into its traditional C corporation, Kinder Morgan Inc. (NYSE: KMI).
  
  Kinder Morgan’s various companies operate a huge network of “midstream” assets: pipelines and terminals that move and store oil and natural gas. The company is a direct, lower-risk beneficiary of the new energy boom in the U.S.
  
  In a $44 billion deal, general partner Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI) will acquire the outstanding shares of Kinder�Morgan Energy Partners LP�(NYSE: KMP), Kinder Morgan Management LLC�(NYSE: KMR) and�El Paso Pipeline Partners LP�(NYSE: EPB).
  
  The new Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI) will have an estimated enterprise value of about $140 billion��100 billion of market value and $40 billion of debt��aking it the third-largest energy company in the U.S., after ExxonMobil and Chevron.
  
  As of the announcement, the deal valued KMP and KMR at $90 per unit, and EPB at $39. All are significant premiums over their prices before the announcement. However, KMP, KMR and EPB now are trading well above those levels, as is KMI.
  
  Richard Kinder, co-founder and chief executive of Kinder Morgan, basically set in motion the increasingly popular MLP structure in the 1990s. MLPs pay no corporate taxes and distribute their profits to unit holders.
  
  MLPs over time have delivered high, growing payouts, which have fueled price appreciation too. The number of MLPs has grown from just 38 a decade ago to 120 now, with a combined market value of some $600 billion.
  
  But KMP, the biggest MLP of all ($45 billion market value), in particular has had two problems. MLPs need to constantly buy or build new assets in order to keep increasing their high distributions to investors. But KMP had grown so large that it was hard to find suitable targets.
  
  Secon

Top Oil Companies To Invest In Right Now: Cobalt International Energy Inc (CIE)

Cobalt International Energy, Inc., incorporated on August 27, 2009, independent, oil-focused exploration and production company with a salt prospect inventory in the deepwater of the United States Gulf of Mexico and offshore Angola and Gabon in West Africa. The Company operates its business in two geographic segments: the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and West Africa. The Company�� oil-focused exploration efforts target subsalt Miocene and Inboard Lower Tertiary horizons in the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico. As of December 31, 2012, it drilled as operator four exploratory wells in the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico (North Platte #1, Ligurian #1 and #2, and Criollo #1) and participated as a non-operator in three exploratory wells (Heidelberg #1, Shenandoah #1 and Firefox #1) and three appraisal wells (Heidelberg #2, Heidelberg #3, and Shenandoah #2R). The Company�� oil-focused exploration efforts target pre-salt horizons on Blocks 9, 20 and 21 offshore Angola and the Diaba Block offshore Gabon.

U.S. Gulf of Mexico Segment

The Company�� oil-focused exploration efforts target subsalt Miocene and Inboard Lower Tertiary horizons in the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico. It also has licensed approximately 78,000 line miles (125,530 kilometers) of 2-D pre-stack depth-migrated seismic data in the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico. As of December 31, 2012, it owned working interests in 246 blocks within the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico, representing approximately 1.4 million gross (0.7 million net) undeveloped acres. Most of its U.S. Gulf of Mexico blocks have a 10-year primary term.

The Ardennes #1 exploratory well will target a 3-way structure located in both Miocene and Inboard Lower Tertiary horizons located in Green Canyon blocks 895, 896 and 939, where it named operator and owns a 42% working interest. The Aegean #1 exploratory well will target a 3-way structure in Inboard Lower Tertiary horizons located in Keathley Canyon blocks 162, 163 and 207, where it named operator and ow! n a 37.5% working interest. It has 24% working interest in the Racer prospect and its partners include BHP Billiton Petroleum (Americas) Inc. (60%) and Total (16%). South Platte is a 3-way prospect targeting Inboard Lower Tertiary horizons located in Garden Banks blocks 1003 and 1004 and Keathley Canyon blocks 35 and 36, and owns 60% working interest. Its Baffin Bay is a 4-way prospect targeting Inboard Lower Tertiary horizons located in Garden Banks blocks 956 and 957, and owns 60% working interest.

The Company has one drilling rig, the Ensco 8503, that is performing drilling operations on its operated prospect portfolio in the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico. It has one drilling rig, the Ensco 8503, that is performing drilling operations on its operated prospect portfolio in the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico. On December 5, 2012, it announced an oil discovery at its North Platte prospect on Garden Banks block 959 in the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico. The North Platte #1 exploratory well is located in approximately 4,400 feet of water and was drilled to a total depth of approximately 34,500 feet. It is a operator of North Platte and own a 60% working interest. Its Heidelberg #1 exploratory well is located in approximately 5,200 feet of water in Green Canyon block 859 within the Tahiti Basin Miocene trend. The Company�� Shenandoah #1 is located in approximately 5,750 feet of water in Walker Ridge block 52, was drilled to approximately 30,000 feet. On February 26, 2013, it announced that the Shenandoah #2R appraisal well had been drilled to a total depth of 31,400 feet in approximately 5,800 feet of water and 1.3 miles southwest of the Shenandoah #1 exploratory well.

West Africa Segment

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had drilled as operator one exploratory well on Block 21 offshore Angola (Cameia #1) and one appraisal well on Block 21 offshore Angola (Cameia #2). As of December 31, 2012, its working interests in Blocks 9, 20 and 21 offshore Angola and the Diab! a Block o! ffshore Gabon consisted of an aggregate 5,652,687 gross (1,840,581 net) undeveloped acres. It has a pre-salt prospect inventory offshore West Africa. This inventory includes dozens of prospects in various states of maturation on Blocks 9, 20 and 21 offshore Angola and the Diaba Block offshore Gabon. The Mavinga #1 exploratory well will target pre-salt horizons in Block 21 offshore Angola, where it named operator with a 40% working interest. The Lontra #1 exploratory well will target pre-salt horizons in Block 20, and owns 40% working interest. The Bicuar #1 exploratory well will target pre-salt horizons in Block 21 offshore Angola, and owns 40% working interest. The Idared #1 exploratory well will target pre-salt horizons in Block 20 offshore Angola. The Baleia #1 exploratory well will target pre-salt horizons in Block 20 offshore Angola, and owns 40% working interest. The Loengo #1 exploratory well will target pre-salt horizons in Block 9 offshore Angola. Its Diaman #1 exploratory well owns 21.25% working interest. Its Diamon South #1 exploratory well will test pre-salt horizons on the Diaba block offshore Gabon, where Total Gabon is the named operator and we own a 21.25% working interest. The Company has two drilling rigs under contract to support its pre-salt exploratory drilling campaign offshore Angola: the Diamond Ocean Confidence and the Petroserv SSV Catarina. It has the right to use the Ocean Confidence to complete the DST on the lower reservoir penetrated by the Cameia #2 appraisal well and drill two additional wells, which will include its Mavinga #1 exploratory well and one additional well.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  Cobalt Energy (NYSE: CIE) provided an update on its Gulf of Mexico drilling operations. The company announced that its Aegean #1 exploratory well in Keathley Canyon Block 163 did not encounter commercial hydrocarbons and operations are underway to plug and abandon the wellbore. Shares hit new 52 week lows of $13.75 before closing at $14.84, down 5.24 percent.

• [By Jonas Elmerraji]

   

   

  Cobalt International Energy (CIE), on the other hand, hasn't had such a good run in 2014. Shares of this oil exploration company are down 38% since the start of the year, sold off along with the rest of the energy sector as commodity prices have cratered. But long-suffering shareholders could be in store for a reprieve in CIE this fall. Here's how to trade it:

   

  CIE is forming a double bottom pattern, a bullish reversal setup that looks just like it sounds. The buy signal comes on a push through the peak that separates the two bottoms in CIE, up at the $12 level. In other words, if CIE can close above $12, then buying it becomes a high-probability trade again.

   

   

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Cobalt International Energy Inc. (NYSE: CIE) is down 14.3% at $25.18. The independent oil & gas company reported a dry hole in one of its Gulf of Mexico wells.

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  Offering both promise and fortune, Africa is certainly one of the last frontiers in investing. But it can be a pretty cruel mistress as well. Investors in independent oil and gas producer Cobalt International Energy, (CIE) are finding that out the hard way.

Top Oil Companies To Invest In Right Now: Petroleo Brasileiro Petrobras SA (PBR.A)

Petroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras (Petrobras) is a Brazilian integrated oil and gas company. It operates in five segments: exploration and production; refining, commercialization and transport of oil and natural gas; petrochemicals; distribution of derivatives, electrical energy, biofuels and other renewable energy sources. Directly or through its subsidiaries, Petrobras is engaged in the research, extraction, refining, processing, commercialization and transport of oil from wells, shales and other rocks, its derivatives, natural gas and other liquid hydrocarbons, as well as in activities related to energy, promoting research, development, production, transport, distribution and commercialization of all forms of energy. As of December 31, 2010, it had 132 production platforms, 16 refineries, 291 vessels, 29,398 kilometers of pipelines, six biofuel plants, 16 thermoelectric plants, one pilot wind farm, 8,477 service stations and two fertilizer plants, as well as presence in 30 countries.

Exploration and Production

The domestic oil and gas exploration and production efforts are focused on the three basins offshore in Southeastern Brazil: Campos, Espirito Santo and Santos. The Campos Basin, which covers approximately 115,000 square kilometers (28.4 million acres) is the oil and gas basin in Brazil. At December 31, 2009, the Company was producing from 41 fields at an average rate of 1,693.6 mbbl/d of oil and held proved crude oil reserves representing 90% of the total proved crude oil reserves in Brazil. At December 31, 2009, the Company held proved natural gas reserves in the Campos Basin representing 53% of the total proved natural gas reserves in Brazil. It operated 38 floating production systems, 14 fixed platforms and 5,472 kilometers (3,400.3 miles) of pipeline and flexible pipes in water depths from 80 to 1,886 meters (262 to 6,188 feet). At December 31, 2009, the Company held exploration rights to 21 blocks in the Campos Basin, comprising 5884 square kilometers (1.4 millio! n acres)..

Petrobras have made discoveries of light oil and natural gas in the Espirito Santo Basin, which covers approximately 75000 square kilometers (18.5 million acres) offshore and 14,000 square kilometers (3.5 million acres) onshore. At December 31, 2009, the Company was producing from 46 fields at an average rate of 40.9 thousand barrels per day (mbbl/d) and held proved crude oil reserves, representing 1% of the total proved crude oil reserves in Brazil. On December 31, 2009, the Company held exploration rights to 23 blocks, six onshore and 17 offshore, comprising 8623 square kilometers (2.1 million acres).

The Santos Basin covers approximately 348,900 square kilometers (86 million acres) off the city of Santos, in the State of Sao Paulo. At December 31, 2009, the Company produced oil from two fields and one exploration area at an average rate of 14.4 mbbl/d and held proved crude oil reserves representing 1% of the total proved crude oil reserves in Brazil. It produces hydrocarbons and hold exploration acreage in eight other basins in Brazil.

Refining, Transportation and Marketing

As of December 31, 2009, the Company operated 92% of Brazil�� total refining capacity and supplied almost all of the refined product needs of third-party wholesalers, exporters and petrochemical companies. As of December 31, 2009, the Company owned and operated 11 refineries in Brazil, with a total net distillation capacity of 1,942 mbbl/d. It operates an infrastructure of pipelines and terminals and a shipping fleet to transport oil products and crude oil to domestic and export markets. The refineries are located near the crude oil pipelines, storage, facilities, refined product pipelines and petrochemical facilities, facilitating access to crude oil supplies and other users.The segment also includes petrochemical and fertilizer operations. As at December 31, 2009, the refining capacity in Brazil was 1,942 mbbl/d and the average throughput was 1,791 mbbl/d.

T! he Company owns and operates a network of crude oil and oil products pipelines in Brazil that connect the terminals, refineries and other primary distribution points. On December 31, 2009, the onshore and offshore, crude oil and oil products pipelines extended 13,996 kilometers (8,698 miles). It operates 27 marine storage terminals and 20 other tank farms with nominal aggregate storage capacity of 65 million barrels. The marine terminals handle an average 10,000 tankers annually.

The Company operates a fleet of owned and chartered vessels. It provides shuttle services between the producing basins offshore Brazil and the Brazilian mainland, domestic shipping and international shipping to other parts of South America, the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, Europe, West Africa and the Middle East. The fleet includes double-hulled vessels and single-hulled vessels, which operate in South America and Africa only.

Distribution

The distribution segment sells oil products, which are produced by the supply operations. At December 31, 2009, the BR network included 7,221 service stations, or 19.2% of the stations in Brazil. The Company supplies and operates Petrobras Distribuidora S.A., which accounts for 38% of the total Brazilian distribution market. BR distributes oil products, ethanol and biodiesel, and vehicular natural gas to retail, commercial and industrial customers. In 2009, BR sold the equivalent of 767.4 mbbl/d of oil products and other fuels to wholesale and retail customers.

The Company also distributes oil products and biofuels under the BR brand to commercial and industrial customers. The customers include aviation, transportation and industrial companies, as well as utilities and government entities. It also sells oil products produced by the Supply operations to other retailers and to wholesalers.

Gas and Power

The natural gas business includes four activities: transportation (building and operating natural gas pipel! ine netwo! rks in Brazil), acquisition and regasification of LNG, equity participation in distribution companies, which sell natural gas to the users, and commercialization (purchase and resale). In January 2009, the Company completed construction of two LNG terminals, one in Rio de Janeiro with a send-out capacity of 20 mmm3 /d (706 mmcf/d).

International

The Company have operations in 24 countries outside Brazil, which encompasses all phases of the energy business. It is focusing the international upstream activities in the Gulf of Mexico and West Africa. During 2009, the Company conducted exploration and production activities in 21 countries outside Brazil (Angola, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, the United States, India, Iran, Libya, Mexico, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Portugal, Senegal, Tanzania, Turkey, Uruguay and Venezuela). At December 31, 2009, the total assets of the International Segment represented 7.4% of the Company�� total assets.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rudy Martin]

  In addition, we recommend buying shares in Brazilian energy giant Petroleo Brasileiro Petrobras S.A. (PBR.A).

  Despite a gradual rise in crude oil prices, problems with Brazil's economy, compounded by obstacles in Petrobras's scramble to finance significant on-shore and off-shore hydrocarbon discoveries, have ganged up to erode PBR.A's stock price this year.

Top Oil Companies To Invest In Right Now: SEACOR Holdings Inc (CKH)

SEACOR Holdings Inc, incorporated on November 7, 1989, is a global provider of equipment and services primarily supporting the offshore oil and gas and marine transportation industries. The Company offers customers a diversified suite of services, including offshore marine, aviation, inland river, marine transportation, crisis and emergency management preparedness and response solutions, commodity trading and logistics and offshore and harbor towing. On March 19, 2012, J.F. Lehman & Company acquired National Response Corporation and its affiliated businesses NRC Environmental Services, SEACOR Response, and SEACOR Environmental Products (collectively NRC) from the Company. In January 2013, the Company sold its energy trading division, SEACOR Energy Inc. to Par Petroleum Corporation. On January 31, 2013, it completed the spin off its Era Group Inc unit (Era).

Offshore Marine Services

The Company�� Marine operates a diversified fleet of vessels, servicing the offshore oil and gas exploration, development, and production industry worldwide.The Company�� marine provides its customers with the assembly of offshore vessel services in the global offshore oil and gas industry, including transport of personnel, platform supply, offshore accommodation, intervention, maintenance and repair support, standby safety services, anchor handling and mooring services, wind farm support, lift boat services, offshore construction support, well enhancement support, and lightering services.

Aviation Services

The Company�� aviation services subsidiary, Era Group (Era), is the helicopter operators globally. ra supports the oil and gas industry in the United States Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, and internationally. Era provides air medical services, firefighting support, flightseeing tours in Alaska, and Search and Rescue and Emergency Medical Services. Era's affiliate, Era Training Center, offers flight training services. Era also markets and distributes specialty helicopter! equipment and accessories.

Inland River Services

The Company�� Inland River Services group owns and operates modern river transportation equipment; owns covered and open hopper barges, 10,000 and 30,000 barrel tank barges, deck barges, inland river towboats and smaller harbor boats; and provides ancillary services along the United States Inland River Waterways and the Parana-Paraguay and the Magdalena River Systems in South America. SCF Marine operates a fleet of hopper barges along the United States Inland River Waterways and South America, transporting agricultural, industrial, and project cargoes. The liquid division, Supercritical Fluid (SCF) Liquids, is a integrated towboat and tank barge company, specializing in the transportation of chemical, clean, and dirty products. Gateway Terminals is among the newest ethanol and petroleum storage terminals on the Mississippi River, with a capacity of 400,000 barrels and the ability to receive and transfer products by barge, unit train, and truck.

Marine Transportation Services

The Company�� ocean shipping and harbor towing subsidiary, SEACOR Ocean Transport, is an owner and operator of equipment engaged in oil transportation, bunkering, harbor towing, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal support, short sea shipping and logistics, and third-party ship management services. Through all aspects of its operations, SEACOR Ocean Transport focuses to provide its customers with marine transportation solutions.

Commodity Trading and Logistics

The Company�� Commodity Trading and Logistics group specializes in the purchase, storage, transportation, and sale of agricultural and energy commodities, which include renewable fuels, blendstocks, sugar, rice, and salt. The Agricultural group is primarily focused on the global sourcing and logistics of sugar, rice, salt, and other dry bulk products. The Energy group is primarily focused on the domestic trading and transportation of physical e! thanol an! d clean blendstocks.

Harbor and Offshore Towing Services

The Company�� ocean shipping and harbor towing subsidiary, SEACOR Ocean Transport, is an operator of equipment engaged in oil transportation, bunkering, harbor towing, LNG terminal support, short sea shipping and logistics, and third-party ship management services. The harbor towing services group, Seabulk Towing, is a tugboat operator with operations along the Gulf Coast and Southeastern seaboard port system from Cape Canaveral, Florida, to Port Arthur, Texas. Seabulk Island Transport owns and operates four ocean tugs and five ocean liquid tank barges.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Margins matter. The more Seacor Holdings (NYSE: CKH  ) keeps of each buck it earns in revenue, the more money it has to invest in growth, fund new strategic plans, or (gasp!) distribute to shareholders. Healthy margins often separate pretenders from the best stocks in the market. That's why we check up on margins at least once a quarter in this series. I'm looking for the absolute numbers, so I can compare them to current and potential competitors, and any trend that may tell me how strong Seacor Holdings's competitive position could be.

• [By Traders Reserve]

  For investors who want a piece of this developing trend, Transocean and Seadrill are two of the bigger players in this arena. Other offshore drillers/rig operators are Noble (NE) and Ensco (ESV). Companies that provide services to offshore drillers and benefit from increases in exploration and drilling activity are Gulfmark Offshore (GLF), Hornbeck (HOS), Seacor (CKH) and Tidewater (TDW).