A Decent Result In A Tough Stretch
On both a relative and absolute basis, I'd say that Halliburton did pretty well. What's more, investors and analysts may regard the company's $5 billion share buyback announcement as further evidence that the company has moved past the worst of the down-cycle in North America.
Top Industrial Conglomerate Companies To Invest In 2015: InterOil Corp (IOC)
InterOil Corporation (InterOil), incorporated on August 24, 2007, is an integrated energy company operating in Papua New Guinea and the surrounding Southwest Pacific region. InterOil operates in four segments: upstream, midstream, downstream and corporate. The upstream segment explores, appraises and develops crude oil and natural gas structures in Papua New Guinea. This segment also manages its construction business, which services the development projects underway in Papua New Guinea. The midstream segment produces refined petroleum products at Napa Napa in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea for the domestic market and for export. It is developing liquefaction and associated facilities in Papua New Guinea for the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The downstream segment markets and distributes refined products domestically in Papua New Guinea on a wholesale and retail basis.
During 2012, it sold approximately 13% of its refined petroleum products to Pacific Energy Aviation (PNG) Ltd for aviation refueling at Papua New Guinea�� international airport in Port Moresby. The corporate segment provides support to the other business segments by engaging in business development and improvement activities and providing general and administrative services and management, undertakes financing and treasury activities, and is responsible for government and investor relations. This segment also manages the Company�� shipping business, which operates two vessels transporting petroleum products for it�� and external customers, both within PNG and for export in the South Pacific region.
Upstream - Exploration and Production
InterOil�� upstream business segment focuses on the development program for the Elk, Antelope and Triceratops fields. The Elk and Antelope fields are onshore gas fields with contingent resources. As at December 31, 2012, it had interests in three PPLs and one PRL in Papua New Guinea covering 3,996,453 gross acres, all of which were operated by the Co! mpany. PPLs 236, 237 and 238 and PRL 15 are located onshore in the Eastern Papuan Basin, northwest of Port Moresby. It undertook exploration activities in its three exploration licenses, PPL 236, PPL 237 and PPL 238. These exploration activities involved a regional airborne geophysical survey, various seismic surveys across a number of prospects and preparation for drilling of its next appraisal well, Triceratops 2, which was spudded in mid-January 2012.
As of December 31, 2012, the Company had a 100% working interest in PPL 236. The license consists of 53 graticular blocks covering an area of 4,502 square kilometers or 1,112,464 acres. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had a 100% working interest in PPL 237. The license consists of 34 graticular blocks covering an area of 3,238 square kilometers or 715,648 acres. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had a 100% working interest in PPL 238. The license consists of 94 graticular blocks covering an area of 7,922 square kilometers or 1,978,565 acres.
Midstream
The Company�� refinery is located across the harbor from Port Moresby, the capital city of Papua New Guinea. Its refinery is the sole refiner of hydrocarbons located in Papua New Guinea. Jet fuel, diesel and gasoline are the primary products that the Company produces for the domestic market. The refining process also results in the production of two Naphtha grades and low sulfur waxy residue. Papua New Guinea is its principal market for the products its refinery produces, other than Naphtha and LSWR. Its refinery is fully certified to manufacture and market Jet A-1 fuel to international specifications and markets this product to both domestic Papua New Guinea and overseas airlines.
Downstream - Wholesale and Retail Distribution
The Company has the wholesale and retail petroleum product distribution base in Papua New Guinea. This business includes bulk storage, transportation distribution, aviation, wholesale and retail facilities! for refi! ned petroleum products. Its downstream business supplies petroleum products nationally in Papua New Guinea through a portfolio of retail service stations and commercial customers. As of December 31, 2012, InterOil provided petroleum products to 53 retail service stations with 43 operating under the InterOil brand name and the remaining 10 operating under their own independent brand. Of the 53 service stations that the Company supplies, 16 are either owned by or head leased to it, which it then sublease to company-approved operators. The remaining 37 service stations are independently owned and operated. It also provides fuel pumps and related infrastructure to the operators of the majority of these retail service stations that are not owned or leased by the Company under cover of equipment loan agreement. Its retail business accounted for approximately 15% of its total downstream sales during 2012. Its retail and wholesale distribution business distributes diesel, jet fuel, avgas, gasoline, kerosene and fuel oil, as well as branded commercial and industrial lubricants, such as engine and hydraulic oils.
The Company competes with ExxonMobil.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Caplinger]
Outside the Dow, InterOil (NYSE: IOC ) has soared more than 10% after announcing results for its first quarter. The company, which has extensive natural-gas reserves in Papua New Guinea, recorded lower profit for the quarter on a 3.6% rise in revenue. More important than these results, though, is whether InterOil can secure a partner for its planned liquefied-natural-gas project in the island nation. That will be the key to whether InterOil can get its gas to lucrative Asian markets and cash in on its massive opportunity.
- [By Travis Hoium]
What: Shares of energy explorer InterOil (NYSE: IOC ) jumped 12% today after the company released earnings.
So what: First-quarter revenue rose 3.6% to $350.3 million and topped the $331.5 million estimate from Wall Street. Net income fell 58% to $4.0 million, or $0.08 per share, but analysts were expecting a $0.12 loss per share.
Top 10 Energy Companies To Buy Right Now: Transocean Inc.(RIG)
Transocean Ltd. provides offshore contract drilling services for oil and gas wells worldwide. It offers deepwater and harsh environment drilling, oil and gas drilling management, and drilling engineering and drilling project management services. The company also offers well and logistics services. In addition, it engages in oil and gas exploration, development, and production activities primarily in the United States offshore Louisiana and Texas, and in the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea. As of February 10, 2011, the company owned, had partial ownership interests in, and operated 138 mobile offshore drilling units, including 47 high-specification floaters, 25 midwater floaters, 9 high-specification jackups, 54 standard jackups, and 3 other rigs, as well as 1 ultra-deepwater floater and 3 high-specification jackups under construction. Transocean Ltd. was founded in 1953 and is based in Zug, Switzerland.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
Transocean (RIG) was supposed to release its financial results yesterday after the close. Instead, it delayed the release until Nov. 10 after taking nearly $2.8 billion in charges.
Kommersant via Getty ImagesCanaccord Genuity’s Alex Brooks and Richard Griffith have the details on Transocean’s writedown:
Transocean has delayed its 3Q results due to the ��omplexities involved��in determining $2.76bn in impairments, of which $1.97bn is a writedown of goodwill due to a decline in ��arket value�� and $0.79bn in the Deepwater Rig asset group due to drops in day-rates and utilisation…
There are 12 rigs in the Deepwater Rig group, all benign environment, 4G and 5G units, of which three are already idle without any future contracts. Three are fully booked through 2015, but the remaining six look likely to go idle for much of 2015, even if two have options. Given that these options are at rates of $370k and $420k, and prevailing day-rates for this category of unit are below $350k, we do not expect the options to be exercised. Our understanding of a writedown is that it implies profit generation will be less than the cost of capital; we already expect the group to be generating EBITDA losses from 2016E and therefore our best guess is that the fair value of this fleet is the PV of its contracts, which we estimate at $590m.
Perhaps surprisingly, Brooks and Griffith left their price target on Transocean unchanged at $20. They explain why:
Clearly in themselves the writedowns have only a small impact on numbers: these are entirely non-cash charges. However, they indicate that even within Transocean, projections for earnings are poor…
When the 3Q numbers are available, we expect EBITDA of $783m down 22% y/y and EPS of $0.80 down 53% y/y, largely because of the decrease in active rig-days in the period (down 9% y/y) and the consequent increase in non-operating costs as guided on the 2Q call. We have n
- [By Selena Maranjian]
Icahn Associates increased its stake in Transocean (NYSE: RIG ) , with Icahn agitating for a big dividend payout. Shareholders recently voted out the chairman and voted in an Icahn-backed nominee, but they supported the company's proposed $2.24 dividend, instead of Icahn's suggested $4.00. It has posted losses in recent years, in part due to rig downtime, but its last quarterly report featured profits and higher-than-expected revenue. It has a solid backlog, too.
Top 10 Energy Companies To Buy Right Now: Marquee Energy Ltd (MQL)
Marquee Energy Ltd. (Marquee), formerly Marquee Petroleum Ltd., is a junior oil and gas company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development and production of petroleum and natural gas reserves in Western Canada. The Company is focused on the Cardium play of West Central Alberta in the Wilesden Green, Carrot Creek and South Pembina areas. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned a total of approximately 174,420 gross acres (147,875 net acres) of oil and natural gas leases. In December 2013, it acquired all of the Western Canadian assets of Sonde Resources Corp. (Sonde), including all of its Southern Alberta properties. The Assets are primarily located in Marquee's core area at Michichi, Alberta immediately offsetting Marquee's lands and production. In March 2014, Marquee Energy Ltd completed the acquisition of strategic assets in its oil focused Michichi core area. Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich] Sonde Resources Corp. An oil and gas exploration and production company based in Calgary, Alberta, Sonde Resources Corp held a global portfolio of high potential energy assets including producing oil and natural gas assets in Western Canada and offshore exploration property in North Africa.�Specifically, Sonde Resources Corp had�226,119 gross undeveloped acres in Western Canada and 750,000 acres in a Libya/Tunisia offshore licence. However and last November,�an agreement between Sonde Resources Corp and�Marquee Energy Ltd (CVE: MQL) was announced whereby�the latter�will acquire substantially all of the former���Western Canadian assets, including all of its Southern Alberta properties. These assets�are primarily located in Marquee's core area at Michichi, Alberta, immediately offsetting Marquee's lands and production. Under the deal which concluded at the end of last year, Sonde Resources Corp received 21,182,492 common shares of Marquee Energy Ltd plus $15 million cash with the�shares�being distributed to Sonde Resources Corp's shareholders and Sonde itself retaining the cash�received. In addition, Sonde Resources Corp will retain ownership of about 100,000 net acres of Western Canada exploration assets, split approximately equally between its Eaglesham area Wabamun play and west central Alberta Duvernay play.�Moreover, the company will continue to seek strategic alternatives for this Western Canada exploration acreage, including cash sales, farm-outs, other forms of merger, or other options. Otherwise, Sonde Resources Corp�� business�will focus on�the development of the Zarat field and exploration of the Joint Oil Block in North Africa. On Tuesday, small cap Sonde Resources Corp fell 1.83% to $0.530 (SOQ has a 52 week trading range of $0.51 to $2.11 a share) for a market cap of $29.72 million plus the stock is down 70.5% over the past year and down 55.8% over the past five years.
Top 10 Energy Companies To Buy Right Now: Green Technology Solutions Inc (GTSO)
Green Technology Solutions Inc (GTSO), incorporated on February 22, 1991, is in the business of identifying and acquiring rights in early stage, green technologies, with the plan to develop these technologies into marketable products. The Company has identified several technology endeavors.
As of December 31, 2011, the Company has identified the advancement of mining technologies, with an emphasis on rare earth and precious metals mining applications, the development of additional markets for existing paint products that are being marketed in the United States, and smart grid technology. GTSO has also identified additional joint venture in China and South America.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
Today, GTSO has shed (-5.66%) down -0.0018 at $.0300 with�22,150 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 11:34AM EDT July 3, 2013), but don�� let this get you down.
Previously after forging a new joint venture, Green Technology Solutions, Inc. and Chilerecicla are already hard at work identifying new Latin American companies and locales ideally suited to the partnership�� ambitious expansion plans.
The partnership has targeted Latin America for expansion because it�� a key emerging market in the booming global e-waste recycling and reuse services industry, which Transparency Market Research predicts accounted for more than $9 billion in 2012. The firm expects the worldwide e-waste market to reach $18 billion in 2017, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 13.2 percent from 2012 to 2017.
- [By CRWE]
Today, GTSO surged (+10.29%) up +0.0035 at $.0375 with�55,329 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 12:20PM EDT August 27, 2013).
Green Technology Solutions, Inc. is negotiating a potentially lucrative spot transaction with joint venture partner Chilerecicla to export a large quantity of e-waste to one of the largest smelters in the world.
According to the terms of the spot transaction, GTSO joint venture partner Chilerecicla will collect several metric tons of e-waste from suppliers based in Bolivia and Chile, and then ship materials to a smelter overseas. The buyers consist of the world�� largest smelter, who has meticulously screened Chilerecicla to become one of its suppliers. The smelter has noted that its capacity to purchase e-waste from Chilerecicla exceeds our partner�� current e-waste forecast for the near and present future.
- [By CRWE]
Today, GTSO surged (+0.32%) up +0.0001 at $.0309 with 12,300 shares in movement thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 10:31AM EDT June 20, 2013).
Green Technology Solutions, Inc. previously reported it has finalized a joint venture agreement with leading Latin American e-waste recycler Chilerecicla.
Latin America is a key emerging market in the booming the global e-waste recycling and reuse services industry, which Transparency Market Research predicts accounted for more than $9 billion in 2012. The firm expects the worldwide e-waste market to reach $18 billion in 2017, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 13.2 percent from 2012 to 2017.
Top 10 Energy Companies To Buy Right Now: WPX Energy Inc (WPX)
WPX Energy, Inc. (WPX Energy), incorporated on April 19, 2011, is an independent natural gas and oil exploration and production company engaged in the exploitation and development of long-life unconventional properties. The Company focuses on exploiting its natural gas reserve base and related NGLs in the Piceance Basin of the Rocky Mountain region, and on developing its positions in the Bakken Shale oil play in North Dakota and the Marcellus Shale natural gas play in Pennsylvania. Its other areas of domestic operations include the Powder River Basin in Wyoming and the San Juan Basin in the southwestern United States. In addition, it owns a 69% controlling ownership interest in Apco Oil and Gas International, Inc. (Apco), which holds oil and gas concessions in Argentina and Colombia. As of December 31, 2010, it had proved reserves of 4,473 Bcfe, 59% of which were proved developed reserves. Average daily production as of March 31, 2011 was 1,251 MMcfe/d.
Bakken Shale
The Company acquired 89,420 net acres in the Williston Basin in North Dakota that is prospective for oil in the Bakken Shale. It acquired all of this acreage in December 2010 through the acquisition of Dakota-3 E&P Company LLC. As of December 31, 2010, it had three rigs operating on the Bakken Shale acreage. Since acquiring this acreage, the Company has drilled 10 operated wells on the Bakken Shale properties; nine Middle Bakken formation wells and one Three Forks formation well. Six of these wells have been completed and connected to sales with initial 30 day production rates ranging from 750 Boe/d to 1,100 Boe/d.
Marcellus Shale
The Company�� 99,301 net acres in the Marcellus Shale were acquired through two key transactions and additional leasing activities. In July 2010, the Company acquired 42,000 net acres in Susquehanna County in northeastern Pennsylvania. As of December 31, 2010, the Company had five rigs operating in the Marcellus Shale.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
WPX Energy (NYSE:WPX) reported that it has completed the sale of its holdings in Texas��Barnett Shale and the Arkoma Basin in Oklahoma to an affiliate of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. for approximately $306 million, subject to typical post-closing adjustments.
- [By Reuters]
Richard Drew/APA board overlooking the floor of the New York Stock Exchange shows an intraday number above 1,600 for the S&P 500 on Friday. A big gain in the job market lifted the stock market to a record high. NEW YORK -- The Dow and S&P 500 advanced to all-time closing highs on Friday, with major indexes jumping 1 percent after an unexpectedly strong April jobs report eased concerns about an economic slowdown. The S&P closed above 1,600 and the Dow briefly traded above 15,000 for the first time as stocks extended this year's rally. Bellwether companies, including Chevron Corp. (CVX), Boeing Co. (BA) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), reached 52-week highs. The Russell 2000 stock index of mid- and small cap companies also hit a record, confirming the broadness of the rally. About 70 percent of stocks on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq ended in positive territory. Non-farm payrolls rose by 165,000 last month and the unemployment rate fell to 7.5 percent, a four-year low, from 7.6 percent, the government said. In addition, hiring was much stronger than previously thought in February and March. Investors welcomed the gains after weeks of disappointing data, including tepid manufacturing reports, that suggested the economic recovery was losing steam. "We were all wringing our hands over the past month but this alleviates fears about a sharp spring slowdown," said Brad Sorensen, director of market and sector analysis at Charles Schwab in Denver. The Dow Jones industrial average (^DJI) was up 140.61 points, or 0.95 percent, at 14,972.19. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index (^GSPC) was up 16.63 points, or 1.04 percent, at 1,614.22. The Nasdaq Composite Index (COMPX) was up 38.01 points, or 1.14 percent, at 3,378.63. Both the Dow and S&P ended at all-time closing highs. For the week, the Dow rose 1.8, the S&P gained 2 percent and the Nasdaq rose 3 percent in its biggest weekly climb since the first week of the year. Sectors ti
- [By Robert Rapier]
Last November Tulsa-based oil and gas producer�WPX Energy�(NYSE: WPX)�announced its intention�to spin off production assets in Colorado. WPX Energy Partners will hold working interests in mature natural gas properties in the Piceance Basin of Colorado. The announcement indicated a desire to carry out the IPO during the first half of 2014, but the company has yet to file forms with the SEC.
Top 10 Energy Companies To Buy Right Now: Summit Midstream Partners LP (SMLP)
Summit Midstream Partners, LP is engaged in owning and operating midstream energy infrastructure that is located in North America. The Company provides natural gas gathering and compression services in two resource basins: the Piceance Basin, which includes the Mesaverde, Mancos and Niobrara Shale formations in western Colorado, and the Fort Worth Basin, which includes the Barnett Shale formation in north-central Texas. As of June 30, 2012, the Company�� gathering systems had approximately 385 miles of pipeline and 147,600 horsepower of compression. As of September 20, 2012, its systems gathered an average of approximately 909 million cubic feet per day of natural gas, of which approximately 64% consisted of natural gas liquids (NGLs), that were extracted by a third party processor. Summit Midstream GP, LLC is the Company�� general partner. On October 27, 2011, the Company acquired certain natural gas gathering pipeline, dehydration and compression assets in the Piceance Basin of western Colorado, which it refer to as the Grand River system. The Company�� customers include the natural gas producers in North America, such as Encana Corporation, Chesapeake Energy Corporation, TOTAL, S.A., Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc., WPX Energy, Inc., Bill Barrett Corporation, Exxon Mobil Corporation and EOG Resources, Inc. In October 2012, the Company acquired ETC Canyon Pipeline, LLC from La Grange Acquisition, L.P., a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. On February 15, 2013, it closed the acquisition of to Meadowlark Midstream Company, LLC, formerly Bear Tracker Energy, LLC. In June 2013, Summit Midstream Partners LP acquires assets in Bakken, Marcellus. In June 2013, Summit Midstream Partners LP acquired Bison Midstream LLC. In June 2013, Summit Midstream Partners LP closed the previously announced acquisition of certain natural gas gathering pipelines and compression assets located in the liquids-rich window of the Marcellus Shale Play.
The Grand River system consists of approxi! mately 276 miles of pipeline and 97,500 horsepower of compression and is located in Garfield County, Colorado. The Grand River system primarily gathers natural gas produced by the Company�� customers from the liquids-rich Mesaverde formation within the Piceance Basin. The Grand River system also gathers natural gas produced from its customers' wells targeting the deeper Mancos and Niobrara Shale formations. As of September 20, 2012, the DFW Midstream system had five primary interconnections with third-party, intrastate pipelines that enables the Company to connect its customers, directly or indirectly, with the natural gas market hubs of Waha, Carthage, and Katy in Texas, and Perryville and Henry Hub in Louisiana. As of September 20, 2012, the DFW Midstream system gathered an average of approximately 325 million cubic feet per day from seven producers.
The Company competes with Access Midstream Partners, L.P., Crestwood Midstream Partners LP, Energy Transfer Partners, L.P., Williams Partners L.P., Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. and Enterprise Products Partners L.P.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
This industry fell 3.64% by 11:50 am ET. Summit Midstream Partners LP (NYSE: SMLP) shares dropped 5.1% in today's trading. Summit Midstream is expected to report Q3 financial results on November 6, 2014.
- [By Matt DiLallo]
Midstream operator,�Summit Midstream Partners (NYSE: SMLP ) is expanding its reach after it announced two separate natural gas gathering acquisitions last week. The company is spending $460 million to acquire assets in the Bakken and Marcellus in unrelated deals. Let's take a closer look and the deals and what both mean for investors.
Top 10 Energy Companies To Buy 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.
$7.6 billion IT services firm Computer Sciences (CSC) has been doing some consolidating of its own for the last few months. Shares have been stuck trading between resistance at $54 a share and support down at $50 a share since mid-July. But despite its sideways bent, there's a trade to be made in CSC right now. Right now, CSC is forming a rectangle pattern, a consolidation setup that's formed by a pair of horizontal resistance and support level at those $54 and $50 price levels. The rectangle pattern gets its name because it basically "boxes in" shares between those two levels. The signal to watch is the break outside of that box. Support at $50 has some extra strength because it's a level that was previously a ceiling for shares back in March and again in May. That's not uncommon for a round number like $50, but it makes an upside breakout a lot more likely from here. Momentum, measured by 14-day RSI, has moved into neutral mode in the last week, clearing the way for upside without the risk of shares becoming overbought. If shares of CSC can hold a bid above $54, it's time to buy.
It doesn't get much more simple than the setup in shares of Guidewire Software (GWRE). You don't have to be an expert technical analyst to figure out what's going on in this stock. All it takes is a quick look at the chart. Guidewire is currently trending higher in a well-defined price channel, a setup that gives us a high probability price range for GWRE's shares to trade within. Now, with shares sitting at trendline support, we're coming on a timely buying opportunity; buying at support has proven prescient each of the last six times GWRE has tested the support level that it established in March. But it's still critical to wait for the bounce in shares. Buying off a support bounce makes sense for two big reasons: it's the spot where shares have the furthest to move up before they hit resistance, and it's the spot where the risk is the least (because shares have the least room to move lower before you know you're wrong). Remember, all trend lines do eventually break, but by actually waiting for the bounce to happen first, you're ensuring the Guidewire can actually still catch a bid along that line.
