Top 5 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014

The biggest fear for the American public surrounding hydraulic fracturing is the potential for fracking fluids to contaminate drinking-water sources. Based on a recent U.S. Geological Survey study, though, some of those concerns may not be as warranted as originally thought. Over a one-year period, the study found no change in indicator contaminant levels from a random sampling of wells in the Fayetteville shale play.�

Oil and gas drillers in the U.S. will boast about news like this, but hydraulic fracturing isn't quite out of the woods yet. In this video, Fool.com contributor Tyler Crowe discusses some of the other hurdles fracking will face and suggests some companies that are pioneering ways to deal with it.�

The oil and gas industry can be played in several different ways, but some companies emerge no matter what the investing thesis.�Halliburton, one of the top companies in the business, certainly fits this mold. To�access The Motley Fool's new premium research report on this industry stalwart, simply click here now and learn everything you need to know about how Halliburton is positioning itself both at home and abroad.

Top 5 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014: Bankers Petroleum Ltd (BNK.TO)

Bankers Petroleum Ltd. (Bankers) is engaged in the exploration for and oil in Albania. The Company generates all of the oil revenue from its operations in Albania, which is located northwest of Greece in South Eastern Europe. In Albania, Bankers operates and has the rights to develop the Patos-Marinza and Kucova oilfields pursuant to License Agreements with the Albanian National Agency for Natural Resources (AKBN) and Petroleum Agreements with Albpetrol Sh.A (Albpetrol), the state-owned oil and gas corporation. The Patos-Marinza oilfield is an onshore oilfield in continental Europe, holding approximately 5.1 billion barrels of original-oil-in-place (OOIP). The Company also has rights to exploration Block F (adjacent to the Patos-Marinza oilfield), an 185,000 acre oil and gas prone exploration field. The Company�� subsidiaries include Bankers Petroleum Albania Ltd. (BPAL), Bankers Petroleum International Limited (BPIL) and Sherwood International Petroleum Ltd (Sherwood).

Top 5 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014: Gran Tierra Energy Inc (GTE)

Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (Gran Tierra) is an independent international energy company engaged in oil and gas acquisition, exploration, development and production. Gran Tierra owns oil and gas properties in Colombia, Argentina, Peru and Brazil. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company focused on development of producing fields and generation of exploration prospects in Colombia, including the acquisition of three blocks in the Petrolifera acquisition and the acquisition of a working interest in the Llanos 22 Block. It delivers its oil to Ecopetrol S.A. (Ecopetrol) through its transportation facilities, which include pipelines, gathering systems and trucking. On March 18, 2011, the Company acquired of all the issued and outstanding common shares and warrants of Petrolifera Petroleum Limited (Petrolifera). Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Lam]

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

• [By Caiman Valores]

  The volume of Whitecap's proved and probable reserves also compares favorably to many of the company's peers, as shown by the chart below being higher than similarly sized Canadian peers Gran Tierra Energy (GTE) and Petrominerales (PMGLF.PK).

Top Dividend Stocks To Watch 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 Maxx Chatsko]

  Valero (NYSE: VLO  ) If you aren't keen on investing in pure play biofuels stocks, then you may want to give Valero a look. The nation's third-largest refiner is also the nation's third-largest ethanol producer. While it has increased its investment in renewable energy in recent years, including microalgae technology, ethanol facilities, and wind farms, it has also been one of the loudest critics of ethanol-blending mandates. Valero recently told investors that blending a few million more gallons into its fuel this year will increase blending costs from $250 million in 2012 to as high as $750 million this year. To mitigate that effect, the company has activated mothballed ethanol plants in its network. I acknowledge that higher blends will cost more to create, but I find it difficult to see an increase of 200% from such a marginal increase. Regardless, you have an opportunity to play an increase in domestic oil production and biofuels.

Top 5 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014: Freedom Energy Holdings Inc (FDMF)

Freedom Energy Holdings, Inc. (FDMF), incorporated in June 2005, is a holding company with a focus on the identification of opportunities within the oil and energy sectors. KC-9000 is the Company�� heavy oil technology, to assist in the recovery of heavy oil. As of December 31, 2011, the Company research had developed and shown a new product SR-139 at breaking down asphalt shingles allowing the extraction and recovery of hydrocarbons.

KC-9000 is a micro-emulsion technology. KC 9000 is a micro-emulsion developed to assist in the recovery and extraction of heavy based hydrocarbons that are saturated with high metals and paraffin content. KC 9000 is used for tank cleaning processes. By injecting KC 9000 directly into the tank port holes, at the tank bottom, with the emulsifies turning into an easily extractable slurry.

Top 5 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014: Frank s International NV (FI)

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Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Frank’s International�(FI) has gotten a boost this morning after UBS started coverage of the oil-equipment company’s stock as a Buy. Analyst Angie Sedita�lists the four reasons why she calls the company a “hidden gem:”

  Bloomberg

  (1) Strong company operations – technical strengths, strong execution, above�average margins.
  (2) Highly attractive geographic exposure – 74% of revenues are driven by the offshore markets (US and international) and 45% from international activity.
  (3) Visible growth profile ��offshore and international markets offers the�highest growth opportunities in the market (ultra-deepwater fleet expected to grow 40% by 2016).
  (4) Financial strength ��almost no debt, solid FCF yield (3%) and dividend (1.5% yield).

  Sedita says the stock could rise to $33, 14% from its last price of $29.06.

  Frank’s has gained 3.4% today, while Weatherford (WFT) has gained 0.9% after a Wells Fargo upgrade.�Tesco�(TESO) has dropped 0.2% to $16.52,�Baker Hughes�(BHI) has fallen 0.6% to $49.98 and�National-Oilwell�(NVO) is off 0.5% at $78.48.