Las Vegas still has more homeowners deeply underwater than any other city, leading to a lot of foreclosures.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) A growing number of mortgage borrowers are keeping their heads above water, according to a report from RealtyTrac.The company reported Thursday that 9.3 million properties, or 19% of all homes with mortgages, were "deeply underwater" in December, meaning borrowers owed at least 25% more on their mortgage than the home was worth. That's down significantly from 26% of all homes with mortgages, or 10.9 million properties, last January, RealtyTrac reported.
A recovery in home prices has certainly helped to turn around the fortunes of many homeowners. The average U.S. home price jumped nearly 14% year-over-year through October (the latest data available), according to the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index. That has added thousands of dollars to the average home's value.
Top 5 Shipping Stocks To Own Right Now: Western Gas Partners LP (WES)
Western Gas Partners, LP (the Partnership) is a master limited partnership (MLP) organized by Anadarko Petroleum Corporation to own, operate, acquire and develop midstream energy assets. The Partnership operates in East and West Texas, the Rocky Mountains (Colorado, Utah and Wyoming) and the Mid-Continent (Kansas and Oklahoma) and are engaged primarily in the business of gathering, processing, compressing, treating and transporting natural gas, condensate, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and crude oil for Anadarko and third-party producers and customers. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� assets consist of 11 gathering systems, seven natural gas treating facilities, seven natural gas processing facilities, one NGL pipeline, one interstate pipeline, and interests in a gas gathering system and a crude oil pipeline. Its assets are located in East and West Texas, the Rocky Mountains (Colorado, Utah and Wyoming), and the Mid-Continent (Kansas and Oklahoma). In August 2012, it has acquired an additional 24% membership interest in Chipeta Processing LLC from Anadarko Petroleum Corporation.
On January 13, 2012, the Partnership completed the acquisition of Anadarko�� 100% ownership interest in Mountain Gas Resources, LLC, which owns the Red Desert Complex (Red Desert), a 22% interest in Rendezvous Gas Services, LLC (Rendezvous) and related facilities. Red Desert includes the Patrick Draw processing plant, the Red Desert processing plant, 1,295 miles of gathering lines and related facilities. Rendezvous owns a 338-mile mainline gathering system serving the Jonah and Pinedale Anticline fields in south-western Wyoming, which delivers gas to the Granger complex and other locations. In July 8, 2011, the Company acquired the Bison gas treating facility from Anadarko. In February 28, 2011, it acquired a natural gas gathering system and cryogenic gas processing facilities, collectively referred to as the Platte Valley assets, financed with borrowings under its revolving credit facility. On February 28,! 2011, Kerr-McGee Gathering LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Western Gas Partners, LP (the Partnership), acquired midstream assets from Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc. These assets are located in the Denver-Julesburg Basin, northeast of Denver, Colorado, and consist of an approximately 1,054-mile natural gas gathering system and related compression and other ancillary equipment, and gas processing facilities with current cryogenic capacity of 84 one million cubic feet per day.
Rocky Mountains
The Bison treating facility consists of three amine treaters with a combined treating capacity of 450 million cubic feet per day located in the north-eastern corner of Wyoming. The assets also include three compressors with a combined compression of 5,230 horsepower and five generators with combined power output of 6.5 megawatts. The Company operates and has a 100% working interest in the Bison assets, which provide carbon dioxide (CO2) treating services for the coal-bed methane gas gathered in the Powder River Basin. During the year ended December 31, 2011, Anadarko provided approximately 73% of the throughput at the Bison treating facility, and the remaining throughput was from one third-party producer. The Bison treating facility treats and compresses gas from the coal-bed methane wells in the Powder River Basin. The Bison Pipeline, operated by TransCanada, is connected directly to the facility, which is the only inlet into the pipeline. The Bison treating facility also has access to the Ft. Union and Thunder Creek pipelines.
The Company is the managing member of Chipeta, a limited liability company owned by the Partnership (51%), Ute Energy Midstream Holdings LLC (25%) and Anadarko (24%). The Chipeta complex includes a natural gas processing plant with two processing trains, the Natural Buttes plant, and a 100% Partnership-owned 17-mile natural gas liquid (NGL) pipeline connecting the Chipeta plant to a third-party pipeline. The Chipeta assets has cryogenic and refrigeration ! processin! g capacity of 670 million cubic feet per day. These assets provide processing and transportation services in the Greater Natural Buttes area in Uintah County, Utah. During 2011, Chipeta began construction of a second cryogenic train at the Chipeta plant with processing capacity of approximately 300 million cubic feet per day. During 2011, Anadarko is a customer on the Chipeta system with approximately 94% of the system throughput. The Chipeta system has access to Anadarko and third-party production in the area with excess available capacity in the Uintah Basin. Anadarko controls approximately 217,000 gross acres in the Uintah Basin. Chipeta is connected to both Anadarko�� Natural Buttes gathering system and to the Three Rivers gathering system owned by Ute Energy and a third party. The Chipeta plant delivers NGLs through its 17-mile pipeline to the Mid-America Pipeline (MAPL), which provides transportation through the Seminole pipeline in West Texas and ultimately to the NGL markets at Mont Belvieu, Texas and the Texas Gulf Coast. The Chipeta plant has natural gas delivery points through the pipelines, which includes Colorado Interstate Gas Company (CIG), Questar Pipeline Company�� pipeline, and Wyoming Interstate Company, Ltd.
The 47-mile Clawson gathering system, located in Carbon and Emery Counties of Utah, to provide gathering services for Anadarko�� coal-bed methane development of the Ferron Coal play. The Clawson gathering system provides gathering, dehydration, compression and treating services for coal-bed methane gas. The Clawson gathering system includes one compressor station, with 6,310 horsepower, and a CO2 treating facility. During 2011, Anadarko is the shipper on the Clawson gathering system with approximately 97% of the total throughput delivered into the system, and the remaining throughput on the system was from one third-party producer. Clawson Springs Field has approximately 7,000 gross acres and produces primarily from the Ferron Coal play. The Clawson gathering s! ystem del! ivers into Questar Transportation Services Company�� pipeline. The Fort Union system is a 324-mile gathering system operating within the Powder River Basin of Wyoming, starting in west central Campbell County and terminating at the Medicine Bow treating plant. The Fort Union gathering system consists of three parallel pipelines and includes CO2 treating facilities at the Medicine Bow plant. At CO2 levels, the system is capable of treating and blending over one billion cubic feet per day while satisfying the CO2 specifications of downstream pipelines. Fort Union Gas Gathering, LLC is a partnership among Copano Pipelines/Rocky Mountains, LLC (37.04%), Crestone Powder River LLC (37.04%), Bargath, Inc. (11.11%) and the Partnership (14.81%). Anadarko is the field and construction operator of the Fort Union gathering system. The NGLs have market access to Enterprise�� Mid-America Pipeline Company (MAPCO), which terminates at Mont Belvieu, Texas, as well as to local markets.
The 810-mile natural gas gathering system and gas processing facility is located in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. The Granger system includes eight field compression stations with 41,950 horsepower. The processing facility has a cryogenic capacity of 200 million cubic feet per day and refrigeration capacity of 100 million cubic feet per day with NGL fractionation. During 2011, Anadarko is the customer on the Granger system with approximately 54% of throughput, and the remaining throughput was primarily from five third-party shippers. The Granger system is supplied by the Moxa Arch, the Jonah field and the Pinedale anticline across, which Anadarko controls approximately 568,000 gross acres. The Granger gas gathering system has approximately 690 receipt points. The residue gas from the Granger system can be delivered to the pipelines, which includes CIG, Kern River and Mountain Gas Transportation, Inc (MGTI) pipelines through a connect with Rendezvous Pipeline Company, Northwest Pipeline Co (NWPL), Overthrust Pipeline OTTCO, a! nd Questa! r Gas Management Company (QGM).
The 67-mile Helper gathering system, located in Carbon County, Utah, built to provide gathering services for Anadarko�� coal-bed methane development of the Ferron Coal play. The Helper gathering system provides gathering, dehydration, compression and treating services for coal-bed methane gas. The Helper gathering system includes two compressor stations with a combined 14,075 horsepower and two CO2 treating facilities. Anadarko is the shipper on the Helper gathering system. The Helper Field and Cardinal Draw Fields are Anadarko-operated coal-bed methane developments on the south-western edge of the Uintah Basin that produce from the Ferron Coal play. The Helper Field covers approximately 19,000 acres as of December 31, 2011 and Cardinal Draw Field, which lies immediately to the east of Helper Field, also covers approximately 20,000 acres. The Helper gathering system delivers into the Questar Transportation Services Company�� pipeline. Questar provides transportation to regional markets in Wyoming, Colorado and Utah and also delivers into the Kern River Pipeline, which provides transportation to markets in the western United States, primarily California.
The 1,056-mile Hilight gathering system, located in Johnson, Campbell, Natrona and Converse Counties of Wyoming, built to provide low and high-pressure gathering services for the area�� conventional gas production and delivers to the Hilight plant for processing. The Hilight gathering system has 11 compressor stations with 32,263 combined horsepower. The Hilight system has a capacity of approximately 30 million cubic feet per day and utilizes a refrigeration process and provides for fractionation of the recovered NGL products into propane, butanes and natural gasoline. Gas gathered and processed through the Hilight system is from numerous third-party customers, with the nine producers providing approximately 75% of the system throughput during 2011. The Hilight gathering system serves the g! as gather! ing needs of several conventional producing fields in Johnson, Campbell, Natrona and Converse Counties. The Hilight plant delivers residue gas into its MIGC transmission line.
The MIGC system is a 256-mile interstate pipeline regulated by FERC and operating within the Powder River Basin of Wyoming. The MIGC system traverses the Powder River Basin from north to south, extending to Glenrock, Wyoming. The MIGC system is well positioned to provide transportation for the natural gas volumes received from various coal-bed methane gathering systems and conventional gas processing plants throughout the Powder River Basin. MIGC offers both forward-haul and backhaul transportation services and is certificated for 175 million cubic feet per day of firm transportation capacity. During 2011, Anadarko is the firm shipper on the MIGC system, with approximately 86% of throughput, with the remaining throughput from 11 third-party shippers. As of December 31, 2011, Anadarko has a working interest in over 1.7 million gross acres within the Powder River Basin. Anadarko�� gross acreage includes substantial undeveloped acreage positions in the expanding Big George coal play and the multiple seam coal fairway to the north of the Big George play. MIGC volumes are redelivered to the Glenrock, Wyoming Hub, which accesses the interstate pipelines, which includes CIG, Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas Transportation Company, Williston Basin Interstate Pipeline Company, and Wyoming Interstate Gas Company. Volumes are also delivered to Anadarko�� MGTC, Inc. (MGTC) intrastate pipeline, a Hinshaw pipeline that supplies local markets in Wyoming.
The 179-mile Newcastle gathering system, located in Weston and Niobrara Counties of Wyoming, was built to provide gathering services for conventional gas production in the area. The gathering system delivers into the Newcastle plant, which has gross capacity of approximately two million cubic feet per day. The plant utilizes a refrigeration process and provides for frac! tionation! of the recovered NGLs into propane and butane/gasoline mix products. The Newcastle facility is a joint venture among Black Hills Exploration and Production, Inc. (44.7%), John Paulson (5.3%) and the Partnership (50.0%). The Newcastle gathering system includes one compressor station with 560 horsepower. The Newcastle plant has an additional 2,100 horsepower for refrigeration and residue compression. Gas gathered and processed through the Newcastle system is from 12 third-party customers, with the four producers providing approximately 92% of the system throughput during 2011. The producer, Black Hills Exploration, provided approximately 62% of the throughput during 2011. The Newcastle gathering system and plant primarily service gas production from the Clareton and Finn-Shurley fields in Weston County. Propane products from the Newcastle plant are typically sold locally by truck, and the butane/gasoline mix products are transported to the Hilight plant for further fractionation. Residue gas from the Newcastle system is delivered into Anadarko�� MGTC pipeline for transport, distribution and sale.
The Platte Valley system, located in the Denver-Julesburg Basin, consists of a processing plant with current cryogenic capacity of 100 million cubic feet per day, two fractionation trains, a 1,099-mile natural gas gathering system and related equipment. The Platte Valley gathering system has 13 compressor stations with a combined 17,011 of operating horsepower. During 2011, approximately 8% of the Platte Valley system throughput was from Anadarko and the remaining throughput was from various third-party customers, the EnCana Corporation. There are 713 receipt points connected to the Platte Valley gathering system as of December 31, 2011. The system is connected to its Wattenberg gathering system. The Platte Valley system is primarily supplied by the Wattenberg field and covers portions of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Elbert, and Weld Counties, Colorado. The Platte Valley system de! livers NG! Ls through the pipelines, which includes local markets, ONEOK Overland Pass Pipeline, and the Wattenberg Pipeline owned and operated by DCP Midstream (formerly the Buckeye Pipeline). In addition, the Platte Valley system can deliver to the CIG and Xcel Energy residue gas pipelines.
The Wattenberg gathering system is a 1,781-mile wet gas gathering system in the Denver-Julesburg Basin, north and east of Denver, Colorado, and includes six compressor stations and combined 72,579 of operating horsepower. The Fort Lupton processing plant has two trains with combined processing capacity of 105 million cubic feet per day. During 2011, Anadarko-operated production represented approximately 66% of system throughput. Approximately 29% of Wattenberg system throughput was from two third-party producers and the remaining throughput was from various third-party customers. There are 2,129 receipt points and over 5,900 wells connected to the gathering system as of December 31, 2011. The Wattenberg gathering system is primarily supplied by the Wattenberg field and covers portions of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield and Weld counties. Anadarko controls approximately 762,000 gross acres in the Wattenberg field. Anadarko drilled 472 wells and completed 2,090 fracs at the Wattenberg field during 2011, and had identified 1,200 to 2,700 opportunities to increase production, including new well locations, re-fracs and recompletions. The Wattenberg gathering system has five delivery points, with the primary delivery points, which includes Anadarko�� Wattenberg processing plant, Fort Lupton processing plant, and Platte Valley processing plant.
The White Cliffs pipeline consists of a 526-mile crude oil pipeline that originates in Platteville, Colorado and terminates in Cushing, Oklahoma. It has an approximate capacity of 80,000 barrels per day. At the point of origin, it has a 100,000-barrel storage facility and a truck-loading facility with an additional 220,000 barrels of storage. The pipeline is a! joint ve! nture owned by SemCrude Pipeline LP (51%), Plains Pipeline LP (34%), Noble Energy, Inc. (5%) and the Partnership (10%). The White Cliffs pipeline has two throughput contracts with Anadarko and Noble Energy. During 2011, Anadarko was the shipper on the White Cliffs pipeline. The White Cliffs pipeline is supplied by production from the Denver-Julesburg Basin and is the only direct route from the Denver-Julesburg Basin to Cushing, Oklahoma. The White Cliffs pipeline delivery point is SemCrude�� storage facility in Cushing, Oklahoma, a major crude oil marketing center, which ultimately delivers to the mid-continent refineries.
Mid-Continent
The 1,953-mile Hugoton gathering system provides gathering service to the Hugoton field and is primarily located in Seward, Stevens, Grant and Morton Counties of Southwest Kansas and Texas County in Oklahoma. The Hugoton gathering system has 44 compressor stations with a combined 92,097 horsepower of compression. Anadarko is the customer on the Hugoton gathering system with approximately 76% of the system throughput, during 2011. During 2011, approximately 19% of the throughput on the Hugoton system was from one third-party shipper with the balance from various other third-party shippers. The Hugoton field is a natural gas fields in North America. The Hugoton gathering system is connected to DCP Midstream�� National Helium plant, which extracts NGLs and helium and delivers residue gas into the Panhandle Eastern pipeline. The system is also connected to the Satanta plant, which is owned by Pioneer Natural Resources Corporation (51%) and Anadarko (49%), for NGLs and helium processing and delivers residue gas into Kansas Gas Services and Southern Star pipeline.
East Texas
The 323-mile Dew gathering system is located in Anderson, Freestone, Leon and Robertson Counties of East Texas. The Dew gathering system has 10 compressor stations with a combined 36,175 horsepower of compression. Anadarko is the only shipper on the ! Dew gathe! ring system. As of December 31, 2011, Anadarko has approximately 833 producing wells in the Bossier play and controls approximately 122,000 gross acres in the area. The Dew gathering system has delivery points with Pinnacle Gas Treating LLC, which is the primary delivery point and is described in more detail below, and Kinder Morgan�� Tejas pipeline.
The Pinnacle gathering system includes the Partnership�� 266-mile Pinnacle gathering system and its Bethel treating plant. The Pinnacle system provides sour gas gathering and treating service in Anderson, Freestone, Leon, Limestone and Robertson Counties of East Texas. The Bethel treating plant, located in Anderson County, has total CO2 treating capacity of 502 million cubic feet per day and 20 long tons per day of sulfur treating capacity. During 2011, Anadarko was shipper on the Pinnacle gathering system with approximately 90% of system throughput and the remaining throughput on the system was from four third-party shippers. The Pinnacle gathering system provide gathering and treating services to the five-county area over, which it extends, including the Cotton Valley Lime formations, which contain concentrations of sulfur and CO2. The Pinnacle gathering system is connected to Atmos Texas pipeline, Enbridge Pipelines (East Texas) LP pipeline, Energy Transfer Fuels pipeline, Enterprise Texas Pipeline, LP�� pipeline, ETC Texas Pipeline, Ltd pipeline, and Kinder Morgan�� Tejas pipeline. These pipelines provide transportation to the Carthage, Waha and Houston Ship Channel market hubs in Texas.
West Texas
The 118-mile Haley gathering system provides gathering and dehydration services in Loving County, Texas and gathers a portion of Anadarko�� production from the Delaware Basin. During 2011, Anadarko�� production represented approximately 69% of the Haley gathering system�� throughput, and the remaining throughput is attributable to Anadarko�� partner in the Haley area. As of December 31, 2011, in the great! er Delawa! re basin, Anadarko has access to approximately 355,000 gross acres, is a portion of which is gathered by the Haley gathering system. The Haley gathering system has multiple delivery points. The primary delivery points are to the El Paso Natural Gas pipeline or the Enterprise GC, LP pipeline for delivery into Energy Transfer�� Oasis pipeline. It also delivers into Southern Union Energy Services��pipeline for further delivery into the Oasis pipeline. The pipelines at these delivery points provide transportation to both the Waha and Houston Ship Channel markets.
The Company competes with QEP Field Services Company, El Paso Midstream Group, Inc., XTO Energy, ETC Texas Pipeline, Ltd, Enbridge Pipelines (East Texas) LP, Kinder Morgan Tejas Pipeline, LP, MIGC, Thunder Creek Gas Services, Williston Basin Interstate Pipeline Company, TransCanada, Williams Field Services, Enterprise Gas Processing, LLC, Jonah Gas Gathering Company, QEP Field Services Company, Anadarko�� Delaware Basin JV Gathering LLC, Enterprise GC, LP, Targa Midstream Services LLC, Southern Union Energy Services Company, DCP Midstream, Merit Energy, ONEOK Gas Gathering Company, Pioneer Natural Resources and AKA Energy.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Anna Prior]
Anadarko Petroleum Corp.(APC) said it has taken steps to improve its financial flexibility, including paring its stake in the company that manages natural-gas and crude-oil unit Western Gas Partners LP(WES). Anadarko said it made $335 million in cash on the offering. Anadarko shares rose 2.9% to $109.00 premarket.
- [By David Fickling]
Wesfarmers Ltd. (WES), Australia�� largest private-sector employer, fell the most in more than two years in Sydney trading after it said earnings from its Target department stores would drop as much as 43 percent from a year earlier.
Hot Gas Stocks To Buy Right Now: Atlas Resource Partners LP (ARP)
Atlas Resource Partners, L.P. (Atlas Resource Partners), incorporated on October 13, 2011, is an independent developer and producer of natural gas, crude oil and natural gas liquids (NGL), with operations in basins across the United States. The Company is a sponsor and manager of investment partnerships, in which it co-invests, to finance a portion of its natural gas and oil production activities. During the year ended December 31, 2012, its average daily net production was approximately 77.2 million cubic feet equivalent. On December 20, 2012, it completed the acquisition of DTE Gas Resources, LLC from DTE Energy Company. On September 24, 2012, the Company acquired Equal Energy, Ltd.�� (Equal) remaining 50% interest in approximately 8,500 net undeveloped acres included in the joint venture. On July 26, 2012, it completed the acquisition of Titan Operating, L.L.C. On April 30, 2012, it acquired certain oil and natural gas assets from Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc. In April 2012, it acquired a 50% interest in approximately 14,500 net undeveloped acres in the oil and NGL area of the Mississippi Lime play in northwestern Oklahoma.
Through December 31, 2012, the Company owned production positions in the areas of the Barnett Shale and Marble Falls play in the Fort Worth Basin in northern Texas; the Appalachia basin, including the Marcellus Shale and the Utica Shale; the Mississippi Lime and Hunton plays in northwestern Oklahoma, and the Chattanooga Shale in northeastern Tennessee, the Niobrara Shale in northeastern Colorado, the New Albany Shale in southwestern Indiana and the Antrim Shale in Michigan. During 2012, the Company had ownership interests in over 525 wells in the Barnett Shale and Marble Falls play and 569.3 billion cubic feet equivalent of total proved reserves with average daily production of 31.9 million cubic feet equivalent. During 2012, the Company had ownership interests in over 10,200 wells in the Appalachian basin, including approximately 270 wells in the Marcellus Shale and 1! 12.6 billion cubic feet equivalent of total proved reserves with average daily production of 35.6 million cubic feet equivalent. During 2012, it owned 21 billion cubic feet equivalent of total proved reserves with average daily production of 1.9 million cubic feet equivalent in the Mississippi Lime and Hunton plays in northwestern Oklahoma. During 2012, the Company had average daily production of 7.8 million cubic feet equivalent in the Chattanooga Shale in northeastern Tennessee, the Niobrara Shale in northeastern Colorado, the New Albany Shale in southwestern Indiana, and the Antrim Shale in Michigan.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Joseph Hogue]
Atlas Resource Partners (NYSE: ARP ) offers the lowest cost to DCF and the second-highest yield of the group. The company is active in the Barnett Shale, Appalachian Basin, the Raton Basin, the Black Warrior Basin and the Mississippi Lime with an interest in over 12,000 producing natural gas and oil wells. The partnership's coverage ratio just missed a top rank as well, and the units could be a solid addition. May saw insider purchases by four officers for 52,530 units at an average price of $19.73 per unit with no insider selling in the past twelve months.
- [By Robert Rapier]
The second, and riskier, option is to buy MLPs engaged in natural gas production. While these tend to have some portion of their output hedged against sharp price fluctuations, they retain much more exposure to the ups and downs of natural gas prices than the midstream partnerships, which function as toll collectors.�EV Energy Partners�(NASDAQ: EVEP),�Atlas Resource Partners�(NYSE: ARP),�BreitBurn Energy Partners�(NASDAQ: BBEP) and�Memorial Production Partners�(NASDAQ: MEMP) are some of the upstream (oil and gas production) partnerships in the US shale plays.
- [By Matt DiLallo]
The management team at oil and gas company�Atlas Energy (NYSE: ATLS ) has really taken Warren Buffett's advice to heart. Buffett's old adage to "be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful" seems to be that team's approach. After selling its shale assets to Chevron at the top of the market, the company has been diligently acquiring natural gas assets at the market's low. That blueprint continues to be followed as evidenced by the recently announced acquisition of substantial natural gas assets via its master limited partnership, Atlas Resource Partners (NYSE: ARP ) .
Hot Gas Stocks To Buy Right Now: Helmerich & Payne Inc (HP)
Helmerich & Payne, Inc., incorporated on February 29, 1944, is engaged in contract drilling of oil and gases wells for others and this business. The Company's contract drilling business is composed of three reportable business segments: U.S. Land, Offshore and International Land. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company's U.S. Land operations drilled in Oklahoma, California, Texas, Wyoming, Colorado, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Utah, Arkansas, New Mexico, Montana, North Dakota and West Virginia. Offshore operations were conducted in the Gulf of Mexico, and offshore of California, Trinidad and Equatorial Guinea. During fiscal 2012, the Company's International Land segment operated in six international locations: Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, Tunisia, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates. The Company is also engaged in the ownership, development and operation of commercial real estate and the research and development of rotary steerable technology. Each of the businesses operates independently of the others through wholly owned subsidiaries. The Company's real estate investments located exclusively within Tulsa, Oklahoma, include a shopping center containing approximately 441,000 leasable square feet, multi-tenant industrial warehouse properties containing approximately one million leasable square feet and approximately 210 acres of undeveloped real estate. The Company's subsidiary, TerraVici Drilling Solutions, Inc. (TerraVici), is developing rotary steerable technology. As of September 30, 2012, it had 176 rigs under fixed-term contracts. During fiscal 2012, the Company leased a 150,000 square foot industrial facility near Tulsa, Oklahoma for the purpose of overhauling/repairing rig equipment and associated component parts.
U.S. Land Drilling
As of September 30, 2012, the Company had 282 of its land rigs available for work in the United States. During fiscal 2012, the Company's U.S. Land operations contributed approximately 85% of the Compan! y's consolidated operating revenues. During fiscal 2012, rig utilization was approximately 89%. During fiscal 2012, the Company's fleet of FlexRigs had an average utilization of approximately 97%, while the Company's conventional and mobile rigs had an average utilization of approximately 11%. As of September 31, 2012, 231 out of an available 282 land rigs were working.
Off Shore Drilling
During fiscal 2012, the Company's Offshore operations contributed approximately 6% of the Company's consolidated operating revenues. During fiscal 2012, rig utilization was approximately 79%. During fiscal 2012, the Company had eight of its nine offshore platform rigs under contract and continued to work under management contracts for four customer-owned rigs. During fiscal 2012, revenues from drilling services performed for the Company's offshore drilling customer totaled approximately 56% of offshore revenues.
International Land Drilling
During fiscal 2012, the Company's International Land operations contributed approximately 9% of the Company's consolidated operating revenues. During fiscal 2012, rig utilization was 77%. As of September 30, 2012, the Company had nine rigs in Argentina. During fiscal 2012, the Company's utilization rate was approximately 52%. During fiscal 2012, revenues generated by Argentine drilling operations contributed approximately 2% of the Company's consolidated operating revenues. The Argentine drilling contracts are with international or national oil companies. As of September 30, 2012, the Company had seven rigs in Colombia. During fiscal 2012, the Company's utilization rate was approximately 79%. During fiscal 2012, revenues generated by Colombian drilling operations contributed approximately 3% of the Company's consolidated operating revenues. During fiscal 2012, revenues from drilling services performed for the Company's customer in Colombia totaled approximately 1% of consolidated operating revenues and approximately 16% of inter! national ! operating revenues. The Colombian drilling contracts are with international or national oil companies. As of September 30, 2012, the Company had five rigs in Ecuador. During fiscal 2012, the utilization rate in Ecuador was 97%. During fiscal 2012, revenues generated by Ecuadorian drilling operations contributed approximately 2% of consolidated operating revenues. As of September 30, 2012, the Company had two rigs in Tunisia, four rigs in Bahrain and two rigs in United Arab Emirates.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Rapier]
My opinion is that in this space Helmerich & Payne (NYSE: HP) looks better with respect to most metrics and pays a 3 percent dividend to boot. We recommended HP to subscribers in February, and it has returned more than 25 percent since. UNT hasn’t done too badly by comparison; it is up nearly 14 percent over the same time frame. But I would still favor HP today when I stack it up against UNT. HP’s debt is lower, its price/earnings ratio is lower, its volatility is lower, and its profit margin is higher than UNT’s.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Offshore drillers have company now that falling oil prices are hitting the shares of Helmerich & Payne (HP), Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN), Nabors Industries (NBR) and Seventy Seven Energy (SSE)–and for good reason, say Susquehanna’s Charles Minervino and Kai Wang. They explain:
- [By Richard Moroney]
Helmerich & Payne (HP)
Helmerich & Payne is expanding its fleet of high-end rigs and taking market share. The company is now projected to earn $6.07 per share in fiscal 2014 ending September, implying 8% growth, on 7% higher sales. The stock yields 2.8%.
- [By Streetpicker]
Many reports have suggested that 3D Systems may be an acquisition candidate for companies like Hewlett-Packard (HP), and due to the company�� recent drop, investors have started to believe this story. However, I think it�� very unlikely that 3D Systems will be acquired by Hewlett-Packard or any other company.
Hot Gas Stocks To Buy Right Now: BG Group PLC (BRGYY)
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. In June 2014, GasLog Ltd. acquired three LNG carriers from an affiliate of BG Group plc.
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 Jan-e- Alam]
GasLog (NYSE: GLOG ) shares have come under pressure recently, as the news of the recent transaction between Teekay LNG Partners (NYSE: TGP ) and BG Group (NASDAQOTH: BRGYY ) raised growth concerns among investors. I will get to the details of the transaction and why I think the deal was not for GasLog later, but let's first take a look at GasLog and why I think the company stands to benefit from the liquefied natural gas (LNG) boom.
Hot Gas Stocks To Buy Right Now: Midstates Petroleum Company Inc (MPO)
Midstates Petroleum Company, Inc. is an independent exploration and production company. The Company�� areas of operation include Pine Prairie, South Bearhead Creek/Oretta, West Gordon and North Cowards Gully. Its Upper Gulf Coast Tertiary trend extends from south Texas to Mississippi across its operating areas in central Louisiana. As of December 31, 2011, it had accumulated approximately 77,100 net acres in the trend. As of December 31, 2011, its development operations are focused in the Wilcox interval of the trend. The Company�� business is conducted through Midstates Petroleum Company LLC, as a direct, wholly owned subsidiary. In September 2012, the Company and its subsidiary acquired all of Eagle Energy Production, LLC�� producing properties as well as their developed and undeveloped acreage primarily in the Mississippian Lime oil play in Oklahoma and Kansas.
As of December 31, 2011, it drilled 57 gross wells in the trend, approximately 93% of. During the year ended December 31, 2011, its average daily production were 7,499 barrels of oil equivalent per day. As of December 31, 2011, it had a total of 974 gross vertical drilling locations, including 115 related to acreage under option, in the trend. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� properties included approximately 92 gross active producing wells, 95% of, which it operate, and in which it held an average working interest of approximately 99% across its 77,100 net acre leasehold. During March 31, 2012, the Company continued its drilling program, spudding 14 wells, of which nine are producing, three are being drilled and two are waiting to be completed. As of December 331, 2011, it averaged daily production is approximately 9,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.
Pine Prairie
The Company�� properties in the Pine Prairie area represented 46% of its total proved reserves as of December 31, 2011. During 2011, the Company�� average production from these properties was 3,793 net barrels of oil equ! ivalent per day, consisting of 2,143 barrels of oil, 565 barrels of natural gas liquidations (NGLs) and 6,508 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. As of December 31, 2011, it held an average working interest and average net revenue interest of 92.2% and 68.9%, respectively, on its acreage in Pine Prairie area. The Company has an additional 194 identified drilling locations in this area based primarily on 10-acre spacing.
South Bearhead Creek/Oretta
The Company�� properties in the South Bearhead Creek/Oretta area represented 20.3% of its total proved reserves as of December 31, 2011. During 2011, the Company�� average production from these properties was 4,367 net barrels of oil equivalent per day, consisting of 2,196 barrels of oil, 438 barrels of NGLs and 10,396 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. During 2011, these wells produced at an average daily rate of 2,413 net barrels of oil equivalent per day. As of December 31, 2011, it held an average working interest and average net revenue interest of 100% and 78.5%, respectively, on its acreage in South Bearhead Creek/Oretta area. The Company has an additional 43 identified drilling locations in this area based primarily on 40-acre spacing.
West Gordon
The Company�� properties in the West Gordon area represented 21% of its total proved reserves as of December 31, 2011. During 2011, the Company�� average production from these properties was 1,002 net barrels of oil equivalent per day, consisting of 617 barrels of oil, 68 barrels of NGLs and 1,901 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. As of December 31, 2011, it held an average working interest and average net revenue interest of 95.9% and 71.2%, respectively, on its acreage in West Gordon area. The Company has an additional 74 identified drilling locations in this area based primarily on 40-acre spacing.
North Cowards Gully
The Company�� properties in the North Cowards Gully area represented 11.5% of ! its total! proved reserves as of December 31, 2011. During 2011, the Company�� average production from these properties was 149 net barrels of oil equivalent per day consisting of 103 barrels of oil, 11 barrels of NGLs, and 211 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. As of December 31, 2011, it held an average working interest and average net revenue interest of 94.3% and 71.2%, respectively, on its acreage in North Cowards Gully area. The Company has an additional 95 identified drilling locations in this area based primarily on 40-acre spacing.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Roberto Pedone]
One energy player that's starting to move within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Midstates Petroleum (MPO), an independent exploration and production company focused on the application of modern drilling and completion techniques to oil-prone resources. This stock is off to a rough start in 2013, with shares off by 30%.
If you look at the chart for Midstates Petroleum, you'll notice that this stock has recently come out of a nasty downtrend that took shares from over $8 to its low of $4.26 a share. Shares of MPO have started to find some buying interest over the last month at $4.44, 4.26 and $4.48 a share, as the stock has held those levels on recent pullbacks. This could be signaling that a bottom is forming for MPO, since the downside volatility looks over. Shares of MPO are now rebounding strong off those support levels and are quickly moving within range of triggering a major breakout trade.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in MPO if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $4.82 a share and then once it takes out its 50-day moving average at $5.30 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 542,939 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then MPO will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $6 to its 200-day moving average of $6.54 a share.
Traders can look to buy MPO off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $4.48 or $4.26 a share. One can also buy MPO off strength once it takes out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
- [By The Energy Report]
Onshore, my favorite play is the Utica Shale, in which my top plays are Gulfport Energy Corp. (GPOR) and Rex Energy Corp. (REXX). Both companies have highly economic acreage, solid balance sheets and industry-leading production growth. I also like Rex Energy for its likely production upside. Another one of my favorite plays is the Eagle Ford Shale, in which my top plays are Penn Virginia Corp. (PVA) and Sanchez Energy Corp. (SN). Both have core acreage in the region, improving operating results and experienced management. Another favorite name of mine is Midstates Petroleum Co. Inc. (MPO). The company has assets in three solid plays and a management team with a long successful track record. Those are my favorite names at this time.
Hot Gas Stocks To Buy 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 Susan J. Aluise]
CVI is structured into two Managed Limited Partnerships (MLPs): CVR Refining (CVRR) and the nitrogen fertilizer unit CVR Partners (UAN). CVR Energy owns 71% of CVR Refining and 53% of CVR Partners. This is an interesting play in the energy sector, given UAN�� lower cost of ammonia and urea ammonium nitrate and CVRR�� edge as an MLP refiner.
- [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.
Hot Gas Stocks To Buy Right Now: Seadrill Partners LLC (SDLP)
Seadrill Partners LLC (Seadrill Partners) is a limited liability company. The Company was formed to own, operate and acquire offshore drilling rigs. The Company�� drilling rigs are under long-term contracts with oil companies, such as Chevron, Total, BP and ExxonMobil with an average remaining term of 3.1 years as of June 30, 2012. The Company is also a holding company. The Company conducts its operations through its subsidiaries. In May 2013, SeaDrill Ltd sold T-15 tender rig to Seadrill Partners LLC.
The Company�� wholly owned subsidiary, Seadrill Operating GP LLC, the general partner of Seadrill Operating LP, will manage Seadrill Operating LP�� operations and activities. The Company is also an international offshore drilling contractor.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Aaron Levitt]
The key to SDRL has been its relationship with its master limited partnership subsidiary SeaDrill Partners (SDLP). SeaDrill has been quite successful at ��ropping down��assets into SDLP to avoid taxes and gain hefty distributions. All of which continues to boost cash flows and dividend yields for SDRL stock.
- [By Robert Rapier]
Finally, international offshore drilling contractor�Ocean Rig�(Nasdaq: ORIG) has plans to drop down assets into an MLP in 2014.�Seadrill Partners�(NYSE: SDLP) is presently the only offshore driller structured as an MLP, and its rigs trade at a significant premium to those of Ocean Rig. Look for SEC filings related to this MLP during the second quarter.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
In Seadrill's report, look to see how the company plans to use its Seadrill Partners (NYSE: SDLP ) subsidiary to keep its debt under control and sustain its lucrative dividend. By shifting assets across the two entities, Seadrill can keep creditors happy while hopefully keeping its 8% dividend yield intact for the foreseeable future.
- [By Travis Hoium]
This contract comes with a dayrate of just over $600,000 for Seadrill, keeping the momentum rig owners have in deep water. The company has 10 ultra-deepwater semi-submersibles and 10 drillships in operation when you include the holdings of Seadrill Partners (NYSE: SDLP ) . Five more drillships will be completed by the end of 2014, which will drive earnings higher if these high dayrates continue. Management expects that these new rigs will help drive 50% or greater EBITDA growth by 2015.
