CHICAGO, June 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 the Marathon Oil Corp. (NYSE:MRO-Free Report), Statoil ASA (NYSE:STO-Free Report), Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. (NYSE:DO-Free Report), SeaDrill Ltd. (NYSE:SDRL-Free Report) andTOTAL SA (NYSE:TOT-Free Report).
Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.
Here are highlights from Tuesday's Analyst Blog:
Oil & Gas Stock Roundup
Crude prices registered another weekly loss as product stocks rose, while natural gas extended gains on forecasts of warmer temperatures.
Among the newsmakers, Houston, TX-based oil and gas explorer Marathon Oil Corp. (NYSE:MRO-Free Report) agreed to unload its Norwegian assets for $2.1 billion, while the Scandinavian country's energy biggie Statoil ASA (NYSE:STO-Free Report) announced the premature termination of a rig contract with Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. (NYSE:DO-Free Report).
Crude Oil:
Crude prices edged down last week, pressured by a spike in gasoline and distillate inventories, while domestic crude production continues to remain at a very high level. Geopolitical forces also played their part in dampening sentiments, with confrontation between Moscow and the West – that threatens to derail hydrocarbon supplies from Russia – receding for the time being.
However, to some extent the bears were offset by encouraging May's nonfarm payroll report, providing further evidence that the U.S. economy is coming out of its winter freeze. This has fueled hopes for robust fuel and energy demand in the world's biggest oil consumer. Investor sentiment also gained from the announcement of stimulus measures by the European Central Bank intended to boost Eurozone's recovery, and renewed violence in Libya.
As a result of these factors, by close of trade on Friday, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil settled at around $102.66 per barrel, shedding 0.7% for the week.
Natural Gas:
Natural gas rallied to a four-week high last week on expectations of an uptick in electric power demand with the imminent arrival of summer months. This was partially offset by a bearish supply data.
The commodity found support from the impending onset of warmer-than-normal summertime mercury readings across much of the U.S. that is likely to boost gas-fired electricity demand for air conditioning.
Prices received additional boost from the Obama administration's pledge to clamp down on carbon emissions from coal-fired electricity plants, thereby brightening the outlook for natural gas demand.
However, some of the gain was lost following the EIA's weekly inventory release, which showed natural gas stockpiles held in underground storage in the lower 48 states rose by 119 billion cubic feet (Bcf) for the week ended May 30, above the guided range (of 114–118 Bcf build).
Influenced by these factors, natural gas prices ended Friday at $4.71 per million Btu (MMBtu), up 3.7% over the week.
Energy Week That Was:
The week's energy coverage was dominated by the following news:
Marathon Oil to Sell $2.1B Norway Biz
Oil and natural gas explorer Marathon Oil Corp. has signed a definitive contract with Det norske oljeselskap ASA to sell its Norway operations for $2.1 billion − after adjusting debt, net working capital and interest on purchase price. The deal is slated for a fourth quarter closure, subject to regulatory approvals.
The divestiture favors Marathon Oil's long-term growth plans in which its Norway assets do not fit. Marathon Oil added that the to-be sold Norwegian properties contributed roughly 80,000 barrels of oil equivalent every day to its total output in 2013.
Diamond Offshore & Statoil Deal Canceled
Shares of contract driller Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc.fell 3.7% following the news of Norwegian energy giant Statoil ASA having canceled its drilling contract for the mid-water semisubmersible, Ocean Vanguard. Statoil terminated the rig contract – which provided a dayrate of about $454,000 – nine months before the expected date.
Per the terms of the deal, the rig was anticipated to be used till the end of Feb 2015. Technical aspects related to the rig were cited as the reason behind the contract's termination by Statoil. No further details were disclosed by the company. However, Diamond Offshore challenged Statoil's basis for cancelling the contract and plans to protect its rights under the drilling contract.
SeaDrill & TOTAL in $1.1B Deal
Norwegian oilfield service firm SeaDrill Ltd. (NYSE:SDRL-Free Report) has signed a five-year contract – worth $1.1 billion – with French oil and gas major TOTAL SA's (NYSE:TOT-Free Report) Nigerian arm, Total Upstream Nigeria Ltd. Per the contract, TOTAL will employ SeaDrill's ultra-deepwater drillship West Jupiter for its EGINA ultra-deep offshore project in Nigeria.
West Jupiter, a 6th generation drillship, will likely be delivered in Aug 2014 and will have the capacity to work at a water depth of up to 12,000 feet and drill to a depth of 37,500 feet. SeaDrill management believes that the contract has given the company an opportunity to strategically increase its presence in the Nigerian market.
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