Best Gas Companies To Buy For 2014

The Fed meeting today and tomorrow will focus on when to taper the $85 billion monthly bond purchasing program known as quantitative easing (QE).

As Money Morning told you yesterday, a lot of people seem to think the Fed will taper this week because the economy is improving and that the economy is strong enough to handle a reduction in its bond buying.

But like we said, this is a "dangerously popular delusion" - as this chart proves...

And we think the Fed won't be able to take its foot off the gas just yet - especially when doing so in the past has triggered a 10% to 15% drop in the markets.

Here's what you need to know about today's Fed meeting and the possibility of a QE taper:

Fed Meeting Today When Will the Fed Meeting Result be Announced?
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will announce its decision Wednesday afternoon at 2 p.m.

No one expects the Fed to completely slash its bond-purchasing effort. As Money Morning Chief Investment Strategist Keith Fitz-Gerald told CNBC last week, doing so could lead to a 25% to 50% haircut in the markets.

Top Computer Hardware Companies To Own In Right Now: Hydrocarb Energy Corp (HECC)

Hydrocarb Energy Corp., formerly Duma Energy Corp., incorporated on April 12, 2005, is a natural resource exploration and production company engaged in the exploration, acquisition and development of oil and gas properties in the United States. The Company maintains an aggregate of approximately 395 gross (217 net) developed acres and approximately 6,120 gross (4,456 net) undeveloped acres, pursuant to leases or acquisitions. Of that acreage, it maintains approximately 176 gross (132 net) developed acres in Louisiana, 219 gross (85 net) developed acres in Texas, 4,614 gross (3,123 net) undeveloped acres in Illinois, 160 gross (150 net) undeveloped acres in Louisiana, and 1,346 gross (1,183 net) undeveloped acres in Texas. The interest holding properties of the Company include The Welder Lease (Barge Canal), Texas; South Delhi/Big Creek Field, Louisiana; The Holt Lease; The Strahan Lease; Janssen Lease, Texas; Koliba Lease, Texas, and Illinois. As of July 31, 2010, the Company had a total of six gross (five net) producing oil wells and one gas well. In December 2013, the Company announced that it has completed the acquisition of Hydrocarb Corporation.

The Welder Lease (Barge Canal), Texas

The Company owns a 100% working interest (90% after payout) and a 72.5% net revenue interest (65.25% after payout) in approximately 81 acres of an oil and gas lease (the Welder Lease). This lease is located in Calhoun County, Texas. Effective January 1, 2010, it acquired the remaining 10% working in the Welder Leases from Treydan Corporation and owned 100% of the working interest. As of July 31, 2010, two wells were producing gas and oil from the property. The wells were operated using a gas lift system. A third well was utilized for salt water disposal. The wells have additional proven non-producing zones behind pipe. The Company focuses to develop the proved developed non-producing (PDNP) zones as producing horizons deplete.

South Delhi/Big Creek Field, Louisiana

! On August 24, 2006, the Company entered into an assignment of oil and gas interests purchase agreement with Energy Program Accompany, LLC (the EPA Purchase Agreement). At the time of the acquisition, one of four wells on the Holt lease and the one well on the Strahan lease were producing assets. The lease consists of the Holt Lease, the Strahan Lease and the McKay Lease (no longer owned). The Company owns a 97% working interest and an 81.25% net revenue interest in approximately 136 acres in Franklin Parish, Louisiana (the Holt Lease). As of July 31, 2010, the Company produced oil from the Holt No.�� 10 and 22 wells. The Holt No. 4 and 24 wells were off-line pending workover or offset drilling. The Holt No. 15 well was utilized as a salt water disposal well. Pursuant to the EPA Purchase Agreement, we acquired a 100% working interest and an 81.25% net revenue interest in approximately 40 acres in Richland Parish, Louisiana (the Strahan Lease). As of July 31, 2010, it produced oil from the Strahan No. 1 well. As of July 31, 2010, the Janssen A-1 well produced between 250-300 mcf gas per day and approximately six barrels per day of condensate.

Koliba Lease, Texas

The Koliba Lease property is located near the Company�� Welder lease and has one shut-in oil/gas well. The well previously produced 30 one stock tank barrel (Bbls) oil per day plus water. The well is in close proximity to the Company�� Welder gas sales line and salt water disposal system. The Koliba No. 2 well was drilled June 2010 and found to be slightly down-dip from the No.1 well. The Company elected to plug the No. 2.

Illinois

During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2010, the Company entered into numerous oil and gas leases in Jefferson and other counties in Illinois. As of July 31, 2010, these leases total approximately 2,994 gross acres, pursuant to which the Company has a working interest of 100% and a net revenue interest of 87.5%. It has an additional 1,620 gross acres under lea! se in Ill! inois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  The experts have spoken, and investors would do well to listen (and read between the lines). While Hydrocarb Energy Corp. (OTCBB:HECC) may not be poised to become the next Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), it is poised to follow in the footsteps of Tullow Oil Plc (OTCMKTS:TUWOY) [long story - more on that below]. Perhaps more bullish than anything right now, however, is that other, independent observers are starting to take notice, and think HECC shares could be worth nearly three times as much as where they're trading now within the foreseeable future.

Best Gas Companies To Buy For 2014: GasLog Ltd (GLOG)

GasLog Ltd. (GasLog), incorporated on July 16, 2003, is an owner, operator and manager of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers. The Company is a holding company. Its subsidiaries conduct all of its operations and own all of its operating assets, including its ships. The Company operates in two segments: vessel ownership and vessel management. In the vessel ownership segment, the services provided primarily consist of chartering out company-owned LNG carriers, and in the vessel management segment the services provided consist of LNG carrier technical management services, as well as LNG carrier construction supervision services and other vessel management services provided to the Company�� vessel ownership segment and to external third parties.

In February 2011, GasLog Carriers Ltd. established two vessel-owning companies, GAS-five Ltd. and GAS-six Ltd. In March 2011, GasLog Carriers Ltd. established two vessel-owning companies, GAS-seven Ltd. and GAS-eight Ltd. In June 2011, GasLog Carriers Ltd. established two additional vessel-owning companies, GAS-nine Ltd. and GAS-ten Ltd. In June 2011, Ceres Shipping Ltd. (Ceres Shipping) transferred its interest in GasLog Ltd. to Blenheim Holdings Ltd. (Blenheim Holdings). In June 2011, an entity jointly owned by the Livanos and Radziwill families (Joint Venture Partner) sold its 49% interest in GAS-three Ltd., GAS-four Ltd., GAS-five Ltd. and GAS-six Ltd. to Ceres Shipping. Ceres Shipping contributed the 49% interest in GAS-three Ltd., GAS-four Ltd., GAS-five Ltd. and GAS-six Ltd. to Blenheim Holdings, who in turn contributed the 49% interest in these four vessel-owning companies to GasLog Ltd., which contributed the same to GasLog Carriers Ltd. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned 100% interest in GAS-three Ltd., GAS-four Ltd., GAS-five Ltd. and GAS-six Ltd. On July 11, 2011 and September 5, 2011, the Company transferred its interest of two dormant subsidiaries, GasLog Holdings Limited and GasLog Services Limited, respectively, to Ceres Shi! pping.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� owned fleet consisted of 10 wholly owned LNG carriers. As of December 31, 2011, the Company managed and operated 14 LNG carriers, which included its owned ships, as well as 11 ships owned or leased by BG Group plc (BG Group), a participant in the worldwide energy and natural gas markets, and one additional LNG carrier in which it had a 25% interest. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned a 25% interest in Egypt LNG Shipping Ltd. (Egypt LNG), whose principal asset is the LNG carrier Methane Nile Eagle. The Company�� owned fleet includes the GasLog Savannah, the GasLog Singapore, four LNG carriers on order at Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (Samsung Heavy Industries) in South Korea, two LNG carriers on order at Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea, and two LNG carriers on order at Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea.

The Company�� wholly owned subsidiary, GasLog LNG Services Ltd., (GasLog LNG Services) handles the technical management of its fleet. Through GasLog LNG Services, it provides technical ship management services for 12 LNG carriers owned by third parties in addition to management of the two LNG carriers operating in its owned fleet. The Company provides the services of its owned ships under time charters. The Company�� subsidiaries include GasLog Investments Ltd., GasLog Monaco S.A.M., Ceres LNG Employee Incentive Scheme Ltd., GasLog Carriers Ltd., GAS-one Ltd., GAS-two Ltd., GAS-three Ltd., GAS-four Ltd., GasLog Shipping Company Ltd., GasLog Shipping Limited and Egypt LNG Shipping Ltd.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Rapier]

  Last month saw two new master limited partnerships (MLPs) go public.�GasLog Partners�(NYSE: GLOP) is an offshoot of�GasLog�(NYSE: GLOG), which is an owner, operator and manager of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers. GasLog (GLOG) owns the 2 percent general partner interest, all incentive distribution rights and a 49.8 percent limited partner interest in GLOP.

• [By Stephen Quickel]

  Gaslog Limited (GLOG)

  This Monaco-based company owns and operates a sizeable fleet of ocean-going liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, which it charters out and manages for others. Earnings are expected to grow 32% a year. Thirteen of 14 analysts rate it a Strong Buy or Buy.

Best Gas Companies To Buy For 2014: Questerre Energy Corp (QEC)

Questerre Energy Corporation (Questerre) is engaged in the exploration for, and the development, production and acquisition of oil and gas projects, particularly shale oil and gas. Questerre holds assets in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec. Questerre has three core areas where it conducts the majority of its activity: Oil Shale Mining, Western Canada and the St. Lawrence Lowlands, Quebec. The Company has a 100% interest in two licenses covering approximately 100,000 acres in the Pasquia Hills area of east central Saskatchewan. The Antler area is approximately 200 kilometers from Regina in southeast Saskatchewan. The Vulcan area in Southern Alberta is prospective for natural gas and oil in multiple horizons. The Lowlands are situated in Quebec south of the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec City. As at December 31, 2011, the Company had an interest in 98 gross (55.2 net) producing and 40 gross (17.8 net) non-producing oil and natural gas. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  While the Bakken formation is already on most investor radars,�few American investors may realize that the formation stretches North into the oil and gas rich Canadian province of Saskatchewan where�stocks like Surge Energy Inc (TSE: SGY), Questerre Energy Corp (TSE: QEC), Crescent Point Energy Corp (TSE: CPG), Keyera Corp (TSE: KEY) and Centor Energy Inc (OTCBB: CNTO) have been pumping out a good flow of newsworthy news in recent weeks. I should mention that Canada�� oil reserves are ranked #3 after to Venezuela and Saudi Arabia with over 95% of these reserves being the oil sands of Alberta while the neighboring province of Saskatchewan (which the Bakken formation stretches into from South Dakota and Montana) along with offshore areas of Newfoundland also contain substantial production and reserves (Note:�Excluding oil sands, Alberta would have 39% of Canada�� remaining conventional oil reserves,�followed by�offshore Newfoundland with�28% and Saskatchewan with 27%).

• [By James E. Brumley]

  What do Questerre Energy Corp. (TSE:QEC) and Crescent Point Energy Corp. (TSE:CPG) know about oil in Saskatchewan that Centor Energy Inc. (OTCBB:CNTO) doesn't? Absolutely nothing. All three companies know there's oil in the southern part of the Canadian province, and they know exactly how to go get it. The only difference between QEC, CPG, and CNTO is, Questerre Energy and Crescent Point Energy are further along the development of their operations there than Centor Energy.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Well, that answers that question. Questerre Energy Corp. (TSE:QEC) and Crescent Point Energy Corp. (TSE:CPG) likely knew they had some shale-oil mining neighbors in the Bakken Shale neighborhood in Saskatchewan, Canada, but they hadn't seen much of that competition. That's about to change soon. Adequately funded and eager to begin laying its final mining plans, Centor Energy Inc. (OTCBB:CNTO) is going to officially own 55% of a 21,000 acre shale oil property that's anywhere from just a few miles away to just a few meters away from and Crescent Point Energy's and Questerre Energy's operations in one of the oil-richest known areas in the Bakken formation. And to be clear, it's not like Centor Energy is just getting the ball rolling; the planning for this project has been underway for months. Once the property-acquisition deal is inked in mid-February, CNTO will likely finish up its feasibility study and begin the approval process for its facility later in the year. That's pretty quick, but as was noted, a great deal of the legwork has already been done.

Best Gas Companies To Buy For 2014: Pioneer Natural Resources Co (PXD)

Pioneer Natural Resources Company (Pioneer),incorporated on April 4, 1997, is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in the United States and South Africa. Pioneer is a holding company whose assets consist of direct and indirect ownership interests in, and whose business is conducted substantially through, its subsidiaries. The Company sells homogenous oil, natural gas liquid (NGL) and gas units. The Company provides administrative, financial, legal and management support to United States and South Africa subsidiaries that explore for, develop and produce proved reserves. The Company�� continuing operations are principally located in the United States in the states of Texas, Kansas, Colorado and Alaska. During February 2011, the Company completed the sale of Pioneer Natural Resources Tunisia Ltd. and Pioneer Natural Resources Anaguid Ltd. In April 2012, it acquired Carmeuse Industrial Sands (CIS). In August 2012, the Company sold its South Africa business to The Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa (SOC) Ltd. (PetroSA). Effective December 17, 2013, Pioneer Natural Resources Company and Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P announced the completion of the merger of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P with a wholly owned subsidiary of Pioneer Natural Resources Company, with Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P surviving the merger as an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Pioneer Natural Resources Company.

The Company has 15 owned drilling rigs operating in the Spraberry field, and as of December 31, 2011, had Company-owned fracture stimulation fleets totaling 250,000 horsepower supporting drilling operations in the Spraberry, Eagle Ford Shale and Barnett Shale Combo areas. The Company also owns other field service equipment, including pulling units, fracture stimulation tanks, water transport trucks, hot oilers, blowout preventers, construction equipment and fishing tools. The Company owns a 52.4% limited partner interest and a 0.1% ! general partner interest in Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. and its subsidiaries (Pioneer Southwest). The Company�� proved reserves totaled 1,063 million barrel of oil equivalent at December 31, 2011. Approximately 83% of the Company�� proved reserves at December 31, 2011 are located in the Spraberry field in the Permian Basin area, the Hugoton and West Panhandle fields in the Mid-Continent area and the Raton field in the Rocky Mountains area.

Permian Basin

The Spraberry field encompasses eight counties in West Texas. The field is approximately 150 miles long and 75 miles wide at its widest point. The oil produced is West Texas Intermediate Sweet, and the gas produced is casinghead gas with an average energy content of 1,400 British thermal unit. The oil and gas are produced primarily from four formations, the upper and lower Spraberry, the Dean and the Wolfcamp, at depths ranging from 6,700 feet to 11,300 feet. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company drilled 706 wells in the Spraberry field and its total acreage position approximated 820,000 gross acres (691,000 net acres). The Company has 44 rigs operating, of which 41 are drilling vertical wells and three are drilling horizontal wells. The Company completed its second horizontal well in the Upper/Middle Wolfcamp Shale in Upton County, Texas with a 30-stage fracture stimulation in a 5,800-foot lateral section. The Company is focusing its horizontal efforts on more than 200,000 acres in the southern part of the field to hold acreage. The Company continues to test down spacing in the Spraberry field from 40 acres to 20 acres. Sixteen 20-acre wells were drilled in 2011, with 10 of these wells having been placed on production. These 20-acre wells were drilled to the Lower Wolfcamp interval, with a few deepened to the Strawn interval.

Mid-Continent

The Hugoton field in southwest Kansas is a producing gas fields in the continental United States. The gas is produced from the Chase an! d Council! Grove formations at depths ranging from 2,700 feet to 3,000 feet. The Company�� Hugoton properties are located on approximately 284,000 gross acres (245,000 net acres), covering approximately 400 square miles. The Company has working interests in approximately 1,220 wells in the Hugoton field, approximately 1,000 of which it operates. The Company operates substantially all of the gathering and processing facilities, including the Satanta plant, which processes the production from the Hugoton field. In January 2011, the Company sold a 49% interest in the Satanta plant to an unaffiliated third party for the third party�� commitment to dedicate gas volumes to the Satanta plant. The Company is also exploring opportunities to process other gas production in the Hugoton area at the Satanta plant. By maintaining operatorship of the gathering and processing facilities, the Company is able to control the production, gathering, processing and sale of its Hugoton field gas and NGL production.

The West Panhandle properties are located in the panhandle region of Texas. These reserves are attributable to the Red Cave, Brown Dolomite, Granite Wash and fractured Granite formations at depths no greater than 3,500 feet. The Company�� gas has an average energy content of 1,365 British thermal unit and is produced from approximately 680 wells on more than 259,000 gross acres (252,000 net acres) covering over 375 square miles. The Company controls 100% of the wells, production equipment, gathering system and the Fain gas processing plant for the field.

Raton

The Raton Basin properties are located in the southeast portion of Colorado. The Company owns approximately 227,000 gross acres (201,000 net acres) in the center of the Raton Basin and produces CBM gas from the coal seams in the Vermejo and Raton formations from approximately 2,300 wells. The Company owns the majority of the well servicing and fracture stimulation equipment that it utilizes in the Raton field, allowing it to! control ! costs and insure availability.

South Texas Eagle Ford Shale and Edwards

The Company�� drilling activities in the South Texas area during 2011 were primarily focused on delineation and development of Pioneer�� substantial acreage position in the Eagle Ford Shale play. The Company drilled 94 horizontal Eagle Ford Shale wells during 2011, with average lateral lengths of approximately 5,500 feet and 13-stage fracture stimulations. EFS Midstream LLC (EFS Midstream) is obligated to construct midstream assets in the Eagle Ford Shale area. Eight of the 12 planned central gathering plants (CGPs) were completed as of December 31, 2011.

Barnett Shale

During 2011, the Company continued to increase its acreage position in the liquid-rich Barnett Shale Combo area in North Texas. In total, the Company has accumulated approximately 92,000 gross acres in the liquid-rich area of the field and has acquired approximately 340 square miles of three dimensional (3-D) seismic covering its acreage. The Company�� total lease holdings in the Barnett Shale play now approximate 142,000 gross acres (108,000 net acres). During 2011, the Company had two drilling rigs operating and drilled 44 Barnett Shale Combo wells. The Company also commenced operating a Company-owned fracture stimulation fleet in the area during the second quarter of 2011.

Alaska

The Company owns a 70% working interest and is the operator of the Oooguruk development project. The Company has drilled 12 production wells and eight injection wells of the estimated 17 production and 16 injection wells planned to develop this project.

International

During 2011, the Company�� international operations were located in Tunisia and offshore South Africa. During February 2011, the Company completed the sale of the Company�� share holdings in Pioneer Tunisia to an unaffiliated third party.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Looking around the rest of the country, lesser known oil basins like the Mississippian Lime or the Spraberry/Wolfcamp are believed to hold vast oil potential that could quickly be developed. In the Mississippian, SandRidge Energy (NYSE: SD  ) sees the potential for 3,000 wells in its core operating area. The company needs $9 billion just to develop that core, which is a lot more than its current availability of about $2 billion. Higher oil prices could help the company justify developing those wells even faster. Likewise Pioneer Natural Resources (NYSE: PXD  ) has the same capital problem in the land it controls. The company sees the potential for 40,000 future wells at a cost of $300-$400 billion, which is a lot more than this $25 billion company can handle at the moment.�

• [By Dimitra DeFotis]

  Among significant moves in energy stocks, the biggest decliner was Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD), down nearly 5%, followed by Nabors Industries (NBR).�Down more than 3%: Halliburton (HAL), Chesapeake Energy (CHK), Anadarko Petroleum (APC), Baker Hughes�(BHI), �Diamond Offshore (DO) and Occidental Petroleum (OXY).

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Pioneer Natural Resources Co. (NYSE: PXD) is a huge player in the Permian basin in Texas, and it has been a huge winner for shareholders this year. Rumors have swirled the past half of this year that one of the big integrateds may target Pioneer as a takeover candidate. It would be a very expensive deal as the company’s market cap is almost 25 billion. The Merrill Lynch price target for the stock is a gigantic $275. The consensus number is lower at $221.15. Pioneer closed Friday at $172.73. Trading to the Merrill Lynch target would represent a stunning 59% gain for investors.