A subsidiary of CenterPoint Energy Inc. (CNP) and NextEra US Gas Assets LLC, an affiliate of FPL Group Inc. (FPL) signed an agreement to explore the construction of a pipeline in north Louisiana. The new pipeline will transport natural gas from the Haynesville Shale area. The expected capacity of the potential new pipeline is up to 2.0 billion cubic feet per day. The pipeline would connect Haynesville Shale natural gas production to markets in north Louisiana and CenterPoint Energy's Perryville Hub. The companies announced that an open season will be held to gauge market interest in the proposed new pipeline. With the development of the new pipeline, CenterPoint and FPL Group expect to enhance the existing infrastructure in the rapidly expanding Haynesville Shale area. Gas production in north Louisiana, including the rapidly developing Haynesville Shale, remains robust. The new pipeline would assist producers with ...

TOTAL SA (TOT) reported third-quarter earnings of €0.84 per share ($1.20 per share), above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.12 and second-quarter profit of €0.77. However, earnings declined from €1.81 reported a year ago. Earnings improved sequentially based on higher production, better realizations and lower costs.   Total revenues declined 31% from the year-ago quarter but improved 7% sequentially to €33.6 billion. The decline was caused mainly by lower realized oil and gas prices in the Upstream segment, reduced throughput volumes in the Downstream segment and a revenue decline at the chemicals segment.   Total hydrocarbon production averaged 2,243 thousand barrels of oil equivalent (MBOE) per day, up 0.5% from last year and 2.8% from the previous quarter. The increase was mainly due to production improvements and start-ups of new fields; offset by OPEC reductions and lower gas demand, disruptions in Nigeria, and changes in portfolio essentially in ...

GeoGlobal Resources, Inc., an oil and natural gas exploration and development company focusing on India, has announced another step forward in its bid for oil off the coast of eastern India, as part of a consortium led by GSPC (Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation). The company has announced that all signatures for the approval of the Field Development Plan for the Deen Dayal West Gas Field in the KG-OSN-2001/3 (KG Offshore) exploration block have been obtained.

The Field Development Plan includes fifteen wells; four existing wells (KG#8, KG#15, KG#17 and KG#28) and eleven new development wells, which include three slant wells and eight multilateral wells to be drilled.

Production facilities will include the following:

• Two offshore platforms (one well head and one central processing) • 20 kilometer long pipeline of 24 inch diameter up to landfall point • One onshore gas terminal, to include a gas sweetening unit, gas dehydration unit, dew point depression unit, condensate

...

This post is a guest contribution by Dr Mark Mobius, executive chairman of Templeton Asset Management.

During 2008, Russia was among the weakest stock market performers in the emerging market universe, losing more than 70% in US$ terms. But this year, the market has staged an impressive rally surging nearly 100% in the year-to-October period. The Russian market is among the cheapest in the emerging market universe and is trading at a discount of around 50% to its counterparts.

Today, Russia and many other emerging markets are now being driven by an excess in money supply in the international markets which means that these markets are experiencing an inflow of money for investments. Consequently, as Russia was more depressed than other markets, the upside is greater. At Templeton, we continue to find attractive opportunities in most sectors despite the recent rally as valuations remain undervalued. The Templeton Emerging

...

Despite the low natural gas prices, Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A) intends to increase its natural gas production in North America. The company has marked its deepwater discoveries in the Gulf of Mexico as well as from giant shale formations in western Canada, the Rockies and the Gulf Coast for this production growth.  While the company declined to say how much the expected North American gas production to grow, it believes that long-term natural gas prices will recover. Royal Dutch Shell has a leading position in natural gas.  The company is the second largest natural gas producer in the world and has led its super major peers in monetizing its substantial worldwide equity natural gas resource base by investing in liquefied natural gas (LNG) and Gas-to-Liquids (GtL) technologies. Royal Dutch Shell has emerged as a clear leader in the fast-growing LNG business.  The group continues to ...

Cnooc Limited (CEO) is producing more and estimates continue to climb for the Chinese energy company.

Company Description

Cnooc Ltd is an oil and natural gas explorer, developer, and producer off the coast of China. The company is the only one allowed to conduct that type of business with companies off the shore of China. Cnooc is a subsidiary of China National Offshore Oil Corp.

Great First Half

On Aug 26 the company reported results for the first 2 quarters of the year that included a 20% jump in crude production. Gas production was down slightly, 3.5%, to bring the net production to 106 million barrels-of-oil-equivalent(BOE), which is a 15% year-over-year increase.

During the first half of the year Cnooc also had 10 new discoveries and 8 successful appraisals. The company also decided to pay in interim dividend due to the great results.

Estimates Pop

While company does not have

...

Recently, Norway-based energy firm StatoilHydro ASA (STO) gained a permit from the country’s top petroleum resources regulatory agency, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD), to drill wellbore 25/2-17 in production license 442. The company plans to drill "wildcat" wells (those drilled in an area where no current oil or gas production exists) on the license using semi-submersible facility Ocean Vanguard. StatoilHydro has a 40% operated interest in production license 442, which was awarded in June 2007. Well 25/2-17 is located about 20 kilometers east of the company’s Frigg field in the central part of the North Sea and is the first well to be drilled on the production license. We believe that the 25/2-17 well, if successful and rendered economically feasible, will further consolidate StatoilHydro’s leading position in the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). The company’s current production from NCS is expected to decrease somewhat in the short ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – July 14, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: America Movil (AMX), Apple Inc (AAPL), Telefonica (TEF), Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) and Chevron Corp. (CVX).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513

Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:

America Movil Battles Movistar

America Movil (AMX), the leading provider of wireless services in Latin America, has announced its plan to launch the highly anticipated iPhone 3GS, an upgraded version of Apple Inc’s (AAPL) iPhone 3G, in six countries across central and south America by

...

On Friday, July 10, Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), the world’s largest publicly traded oil company, gained a permit from Norway’s top petroleum resources regulatory agency, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD), to drill wellbore 25/8-17 in production license 027 D.

The Texas-based oil giant plans to drill wildcat wells (well drilled in an area where no current oil or gas production exists) on the license using semi-submersible facility Bredford Dolphin. Exxon Mobil has a 50% operated interest in the production license 027 D, which was awarded in December 2007. Well 25/8-17 is located just south of the company’s Jotun field project in North Sea and is the second well drilled on the production license.

One of the largest oil and gas producers on the Norwegian continental shelf, Exxon’s recent award demonstrates its global approach to the identification and pursuit of quality hydrocarbon resources and exploration opportunities.

We currently have

...

Total is willing to invite Gazprom to collaborate in Africa and elsewhere.  Gazprom has hit out at the EU for allegedly discriminating against its gas pipeline projects, just two days before its meeting with Ukraine to discuss payment issues.  The company may decrease its capital investment for gas production by as much as 30%.  China has offered Turkmenistan a $4 billion loan as Beijing seeks to establish a foothold in the nation's energy resources.  The two countries have signed a 30-year agreement, by which Turkmenistan will export 30% more gas to China each year, and which, according to the Guardian, will threaten Russia's 'hegemony over energy supplies from central Asia'.  Reuters examines why China has more luck securing reserves in developing countries as opposed to developed nations.  Gazprombank and the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia have ...