Three fashion and apparel stocks are moving up in their overall rating this week, according to the Portfolio Grader database. Every one of these is graded an “A” (“strong buy”) or “B” overall (“buy”).
Best Net Payout Yield Stocks To Own For 2015: 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 Ben Levisohn]
Shares of Tesoro have gained 1.9% to $56.42, besting Phillips 66′s (PSX) 1.5% rise to $68.22, Hollyfrontier’s (HFC) 0.1% drop to $46.19 and Valero Energy’s (VLO) 0.,1% dip to $42.86. Tesoro Logistics has dropped 6% to $49.82.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Shares of Holly (HFC) have gained 1.9% to $43.29 at 10:43 a.m., shares of Marathon (MPC) have risen 1.8% to $68.41, and shares of Valero Energy (VLO) have ticked up 0.6% to $36.77. Tesoro (TSO) has dropped 0.8% to $45.21.
- [By Marc Bastow]
Independent petroleum refining and marketing company Valero (VLO) raised its quarterly dividend 11.1% to 25 cents per share, payable on Mar. 12 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 12.
VLO Dividend Yield: 2.03% - [By Selena Maranjian]
More than a handful of energy companies�had strong performances over the past year. Valero Energy (NYSE: VLO ) soared 94%, for example, as refiners have been doing well recently. The company is poised to benefit from the proposed (and controversial) Keystone XL Pipeline, and has been investing in railcars to boost profits from the Bakken shale fields. It also spun off the promising CST Brands�convenience-store business. A concern, though, is proposed legislation to reduce corn ethanol production, as Valero is a major producer of it.
Top Oil Companies To Invest In 2014: Chevron Corp (CHV)
Chevron Corporation (Chevron), incorporated on January 27, 1926, manages its investments in subsidiaries and affiliates and provides administrative, financial, management and technology support to the United States and international subsidiaries that engage in fully integrated petroleum operations, chemicals operations, mining activities, power generation and energy services. Upstream operations consist primarily of exploring for, developing and producing crude oil and natural gas; processing, liquefaction, transportation and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transporting crude oil by international oil export pipelines; transporting, storage and marketing of natural gas, and a gas-to-liquids project. Downstream operations consist primarily of refining crude oil into petroleum products; marketing of crude oil and refined products; transporting crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment and rail car, and manufacturing and marketing of commodity petrochemicals, plastics for industrial uses and fuel and lubricant additives.
Upstream
At December 31, 2012, Chevron owned or had under lease or similar agreements undeveloped and developed crude oil and natural gas properties worldwide. Upstream activities in the United States are concentrated in California, the Gulf of Mexico, Colorado, Louisiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming. During the year ended December 31, 2012, average net oil-equivalent production in the United States was 655,000 barrels per day. In 2012, net daily production averaged 163,000 barrels of crude oil, 70 million cubic feet of natural gas and 4,000 barrels of natural gas liquids (NGLs). During 2012, net daily production for the Company�� combined interests in the Gulf of Mexico shelf and deepwater areas, and the onshore fields in the region, were 153,000 barrels of crude oil, 395 million cubic feet of natural gas and 16,000 barrels of NGL.
The! Company was engaged in various exploration and development activities in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico during 2012. As of December 31, 2012, it had a 50% working interest in Jack and a 51% working interest in St. Malo Field. During 2013, the Company had 42.9% non-operated working interest in the Tubular Bells Field; 20.3% non-operated working interest in the Caesar and Tonga area, and 15.6% non-operated working interest in the Mad Dog II Project. The Company activities in the mid-continental United States include operated and non-operated interests in properties primarily in Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming. The Company holds leases in the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale, primarily located in southwestern Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, and in the Antrim Shale in Michigan. Other Americas is consistd of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. Net oil-equivalent production from these countries averaged 230,000 barrels per day during 2012, including the Company�� share of synthetic oil production.
Chevron�� interests in oil sands projects and shale acreage in Alberta, shale acreage and an LNG project in British Columbia, exploration, development and production projects offshore in the Atlantic region, and exploration and discovered resource interests in the Beaufort Sea region of the Northwest Territories. Average net oil-equivalent production during 2012, was 69,000 barrels per day, consisted of 25,000 barrels of crude oil, four million cubic feet of natural gas and 43,000 barrels of synthetic oil from oil sands. During 2012, the Company held a 20% non-operated working interest in the Athabasca Oil Sands Project (AOSP). In February 2013, Chevron acquired a 50%-owned and operated interest in the Kitimat LNG project and proposed Pacific Trail Pipeline, and a 50% non-operated working interest in 644,000 total acres in the Horn River and Liard shale gas basins in British Colombia; 26.9% non-operated working interest in the Hib! ernia Fie! ld and a 23.6 non-operated working interest in the unitized Hibernia Southern Extension (HSE) offshore Atlantic Canada, and 26.6% non-operated working interest in the heavy-oil Hebron Field, also offshore Atlantic Canada.
In December 2012, Chevron relinquished its 29.2% non-operated working interest in Exploration License 2007/26, which includes Block 4 offshore West Greenland. The Company holds operated interests in four concessions in the Neuquen Basin. Working interests range from 18.8% to 100%. In 2012, the net oil-equivalent production averaged 22,000 barrels per day, consisted of 21,000 barrels of crude oil and four million cubic feet of natural gas. During 2012, two exploratory wells targeting shale gas and tight oil resources were drilled in the Vaca Muerta formation in the El Trapial concession. Chevron holds working interests in three deepwater fields in the Campos Basin: Frade (51.7%-owned and operated), Papa-Terra and Maromba (37.5% and 30% non-operated working interests, respectively). Net oil-equivalent production in 2012 averaged 6,000 barrels per day, consisted of 6,000 barrels of crude oil and two million cubic feet of natural gas.
In Africa, the Company is engaged in upstream activities in Angola, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Morocco, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone and South Africa. Net oil-equivalent production in Africa averaged 451,000 barrels per day during 2012. In Asia, the Company is engaged in upstream activities in Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Myanmar, the Partitioned Zone located between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, the Philippines, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam. During 2012, net oil-equivalent production averaged 1,061,000 barrels per day. In Australia, the Company�� upstream efforts are concentrated off the northwest coast. During 2012, the average net oil-equivalent production from Australia was 99,000 barrels per day. In Europe, the Company is engag! ed in ups! tream activities in Bulgaria, Denmark, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Net oil-equivalent production in Europe averaged 114,000 barrels per day during 2012.
Downstream
The Company markets petroleum products under the principal brands of Chevron, Texaco and Caltex worldwide. In the United States, the Company markets under the Chevron and Texaco brands. During 2012, the Company supplied directly or through retailers and marketers approximately 8,060 Chevron- and Texaco-branded motor vehicle service stations, primarily in the southern and western states. Approximately 470 of these outlets are company-owned or -leased stations. Outside the United States, the Company supplied directly or through retailers and marketers approximately 8,700 branded service stations, including affiliates. In British Columbia, Canada, the Company markets under the Chevron brand. The Company markets in Latin America and the Caribbean using the Texaco brand. In the Asia-Pacific region, southern Africa, Egypt and Pakistan, the Company uses the Caltex brand. The Company also operates through affiliates under various brand names. In South Korea, the Company operates through its 50%-owned affiliate, GS Caltex, and in Australia through its 50%-owned affiliate, Caltex Australia Limited.
The Company owns a 50% interest in its Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC (CPChem) affiliate. During 2012, CPChem owned or had joint-venture interests in 36 manufacturing facilities and two research development centers worldwide. The Company�� Oronite brand lubricant and fuel additives business is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of performance additives for lubricating oils and fuels. The Company owns and operates facilities in Brazil, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore and the United States and has interests in facilities in India and Mexico. Oronite lubricant additives are blended into refined base oil to produce finished lubricant packages us! ed primar! ily in engine applications, such as passenger car, heavy-duty diesel, marine, locomotive and motorcycle engines.
Transportation
The Company owns and operates a network of crude oil, refined product, chemical, natural gas liquid and natural gas pipelines and other infrastructure assets in the United States. The Company also has direct and indirect interests in other the United States and international pipelines. All tankers in the Company�� controlled seagoing fleet were utilized during 2012. During 2012, the Company had 51 deep-sea vessels chartered on a voyage basis, or for a period of less than one year. The Company�� the United States-flagged fleet is engaged primarily in transporting refined products between the Gulf Coast and the East Coast and from California refineries to terminals on the West Coast and in Alaska and Hawaii. The foreign-flagged vessels are engaged primarily in transporting crude oil from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the Black Sea, South America, Mexico and West Africa to ports in the United States, Europe, Australia and Asia. The Company�� foreign-flagged vessels also transport refined products to and from various locations worldwide.
Other Businesses
During 2012, the Company completed the sale of its Kemmerer, Wyoming, surface coal mine and the sale of its 50% interest in Youngs Creek Mining Company, LLC, which was formed to develop a coal mine in northern Wyoming.Chevron also owns and operates the Questa molybdenum mine in New Mexico. During 2012, it had 160 million tons of proven and probable coal reserves in the United States, including reserves of low-sulfur coal. The Company�� Global Power Company manages interests in 11 power assets with a total operating capacity of more than 2,200 megawatts, primarily through joint ventures in the United States and Asia. Chevron Energy Solutions (CES) completed several public sector programs, including a microgrid at the Santa Rita jail in Alameda County, and renewable and e! fficiency! programs for Huntington Beach City School District, South San Francisco Unified School District and Union City, all in California, plus Rootstown Local School District in Ohio. The Company�� energy technology organization supports Chevron�� upstream and downstream businesses by providing technology, services and competency development in earth sciences; reservoir and production engineering; drilling and completions; facilities engineering; manufacturing; process technology; catalysis; technical computing, and health, environment and safety disciplines.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Chris Ciovacco]
The Energy Select Sector Spider provides exposure to a diversified basket of energy stocks, including Exxon (XOM), Chevron (CHV) and ConocoPhillips (COP). As the chart shows below, XLE has established a bullish weekly trend relative to the broader S&P 500 Index (SPY).
Top Oil Companies To Invest In 2014: Harvest Natural Resources Inc (HNR)
Harvest Natural Resources, Inc., incorporated on September 9, 1988, is a petroleum exploration and production company. The Company is engaged in the exploration, development and production of properties in geological basins with proven active hydrocarbon systems. The Company holds interest in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Venezuela). The Company's Venezuelan interests are owned through Harvest-Vinccler Dutch Holding, B.V. Through HNR Energia, B.V. (HNR Energia), the Company indirectly owns 80% of Harvest Holding and its partner, Oil & Gas Technology Consultants (Netherlands) Cooperatie U.A., indirectly owns the remaining 20% interest of Harvest Holding. Harvest Holding owns, indirectly through wholly owned subsidiaries, a 40% of Petrodelta, S.A. (Petrodelta). The Company indirectly owns a net 32% interest in Petrodelta, and Venezolana de Inversiones y Construcciones Clerico, C.A. (Vinccler) indirectly owns 8%. Corporacion Venezolana del Petroleo S.A. (CVP) owns the remaining 60% of Petrodelta. Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVS) owns 100% of CVP. Harvest Holding has a direct controlling interest in Harvest Vinccler S.C.A. (Harvest Vinccler).
As of December 31, 2012, the Company's operations were located at Venezuela, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Gabon, Sultanate of Oman and People's Republic of China. In Venezuela operations are through the Company's Petrodelta. In Republic of Indonesia (Indonesia) the operations are mainly onshore in West Sulawesi in Indonesia through the Budong PSC. The Company owns a 64.51% interest in the Budong PSC. In Republic of Gabon (Gabon) operations are offshore of Gabon through the Dussafu PSC. The Company has a 66.667% interest in the Dussafu PSC. The Company is the operator. In Sultanate of Oman (Oman) the operations are onshore in Oman through the exploration and production sharing agreement (EPSA) Al Ghubar / Qarn Alam license (Block 64 EPSA). The Company has an 80% interest in Block 64 EPSA. The Company is the operator. In People's Republic o! f China (China) the exploration acreage is offshore of China in the South China Sea through the Wab-21 Petroleum Contract (Wab-21). The Company has a 100% interest in the WAB-21 petroleum contract. The Company is the operator.
Petrodelta is engaged the exploration, production, gathering, transportation and storage of hydrocarbons from the Petrodelta Fields. As of December 31, 2012, there were 86 oil and natural gas producing wells and seven water injection wells in the Petrodelta Fields. As of December 31, 2012, there were 15 oil producing wells and four water injection wells in the Tucupita Field. As of December 31, 2012, there were 28 oil producing wells in the Temblador Field. At December 31, 2012, there were 17 oil producing wells and one water injection well in the El Salto field.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Paul Ausick]
Harvest Natural Resources Inc. (NYSE: HNR) is up 17.3% at $4.62. The independent oil & gas company received an upgrade today based on the belief that company can sell some of its foreign assets.
Top Oil Companies To Invest In 2014: Petrodorado Energy Ltd (PDQ)
Petrodorado Energy Ltd. (Petrodorado), formerly Cap-Link Ventures Ltd., is engaged in petroleum and natural gas exploration and development activities in Colombia, Peru and Paraguay. The Company�� oil and gas interests are in the pre-production stage other than for two blocks in Colombia. As of December 31, 2010, Petrodorado�� oil and gas assets produced net 15,922 barrels of oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs). As of December 31, 2010, it had participation in nine oil and gas blocks. In Columbia, the Company had Moriche Block, CPO-5 Block, Buganviles Block, La Maye Block, Talora Block and Tacacho Block. In Peru, its block included Block 135 and Block 138. In Paraguay, Petrodorado had Pirity Block. On October 27, 2010, it acquired all outstanding interest of PetroSouth Energy Corporation. In February 2010, Petrodorado, completed its acquisition of a 55% interest of the Talora Block. In February 2010, it closed the purchase of Holywell Resources S.A. (Holywell). Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ning Jia]
The average size of its stores is 7,300 square feet with the size of its stores ranging from approximately 6,000 to 8,000 square feet. Its stores carry a product offering of approximately 19,000 stock keeping units (SKUs), generally consisting of a custom mix of product based on the stores' respective market. Its stores also have access to an additional assortment of 115,000 SKUs for same-day or next-day delivery from one of its 339 HUB stores or its network of 22 Parts Delivered Quickly (PDQ), facilities. Additionally, its customers have access to over 483,000 SKUs by ordering directly from one of its vendors for delivery to a particular store or other destination as chosen by the customer.
Top Oil Companies To Invest In 2014: Willbros Group Inc (WG)
Willbros Group, Inc. (Willbros) is a full service engineering and construction company specializing in energy infrastructure serving the oil and gas and power industries. The Company's services include engineering, procurement and construction (individually or as an integrated engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) offering), project management, maintenance and lifecycle extension services. As of December 31, 2011, the Company operated through three business segments: Upstream Oil & Gas, Downstream Oil & Gas and Utility Transmission and Distribution (Utility T&D), primarily in the United States, Canada and Oman. In January 2012, the Company changed its organization and includes three segments: Oil & Gas, Utility T&D and Canada. During 2011, the Company opened an office in the Houston Ship Channel. On October 11, 2011, the Company completed the sale of all assets and operations of InterCon Construction Inc., a non-strategic subsidiary within the Utility T&D segment.
Upstream Oil & Gas
The Company's core services include the design, construction, and maintenance of hydrocarbon transportation systems. The Company provides a full range of services for the engineering, design, procurement and construction of processing, pumping, compression and metering facilities. It focuses on building these facilities in the North American oil and gas market.
The Company's core services include the design, construction, and maintenance of hydrocarbon transportation systems. The Company provides a full range of services for the engineering, design, procurement and construction of processing, pumping, compression and metering facilities. It focuses on building these facilities in the North American oil and gas market.
The Company�� engineering services include project development, conceptual design, front-end engineering and feasibility studies; project engineering services; definitive design and drafting services; project management, estimating, scheduling! and controls; turnkey EPC arrangements; field engineering and construction liaison services; material and services procurement; planning and management of integrity and maintenance programs, and topographic, hydrographic and engineering as-built surveying, including the establishment of rights-of-way for public utilities and industrial uses. These services are furnished to a number of oil, gas, and pipeline transportation clients on a stand-alone basis, as well as part of EPC contracts undertaken by the Company.
In addition to capital projects, the Company offers its upstream infrastructure construction facilities to its clients through its management and maintenance offerings. The Company operates its fabrication services in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Alberta, Canada.
Downstream Oil & Gas
The Company provides integrated, full-service specialty construction, turnaround, repair and maintenance services, including EPC services, to the downstream energy infrastructure markets, which consists primarily of integrated oil companies, independent refineries, product terminals and petrochemical companies. The Company provides these services primarily in the United States. The Company's principal services include construction, maintenance and turnaround services for downstream facilities, including revamp/reconditioning of fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units; tank services for construction, maintenance or repair of petroleum storage tanks, typically located at pipeline terminals and refineries; multi-disciplinary engineering services to clients in the petroleum refining, chemicals and petrochemicals and oil and gas industries, and EPC services through program management and EPC project services. The Company�� construction, maintenance and turnaround services include refractory services, furnace re-tube and revamp projects, stainless and alloy welding services and heavy rigging and equipment setting.
The Company provides services to the above-ground storage tank i! ndustry. ! The Company's capabilities include American Petroleum Institute (API) compliant tank maintenance and repair; floating roof seals; floating roof installations and repairs; secondary containment bottoms, cone roof and structure replacements, and new API compliant aboveground storage tanks. The Company provides these services as stand-alone or in combination, including EPC solutions.
The Company provides project management, engineering and material procurement services to the refining industries and government agencies, including chemical/process, mechanical, civil, structural, electrical, instrumentation/controls and environmental through its subsidiary, Wink Companies, LLC (Wink). The Company provides its engineering services through resources located at the project site or at its offices in Louisiana.
Utility T&D
The Company provides a range of services in electric and natural gases transmission and distribution, including comprehensive maintenance and construction, repair and restoration of utility infrastructure. It maintains and constructs overhead and underground transmission lines. Overhead transmission services include the installation, maintenance and repair of transmission structures involving wood, concrete, steel pole and steel lattice tower configurations. Underground transmission services include the installation and maintenance of underground transmission cable and its associated duct, conduit and manhole systems. Electric power transmission also includes substation services, which includes the maintenance, construction, expansion, calibration and testing of electric power substations and components.
The Company maintains, construct and upgrade underground and overhead electric power distribution lines to household voltage levels. The Company's services consists of electric power distribution systems, including primary and secondary voltage cables, wood and steel poles, transformers, switchgear, capacitors, underground duct, manhole syst! ems, resi! dential and commercial and electric meter installation.
The Company offers two complementary services to utilities and industrial companies for the restoration of electrical power cables and the condition assessment of electrical cable systems. It includes CableCURE and CableWISE. CableCURE is a process for the restoration of aged electric power cables. CableWISE is an online electrical system-condition assessment process that enables electric power utilities and a range of commercial and industrial facilities to evaluate the condition of cable systems, transformers and switchgear. The Company provides a spectrum of natural gas T and D services, from the maintenance and construction of large diameter transmission pipelines through the installation of residential natural gases service. The Company constructs, maintain and upgrade natural gases distribution pipelines. The Company's services include trenching, transporting, welding or fusing and laying pipe, post-construction integrity testing, site restoration and meter setting.
The Company provides other specialty services to customers nationwide. These services include utility-line locating, stray voltage and gas leak detection and telecommunications.
The Company competes with Quanta Services, MasTec, Primoris, Associated Pipeline Contractors, Sheehan Pipeline Construction, U.S. Pipeline, Welded Construction, Henkels & McCoy, Michels Corporation, North American Energy Services, Flint Energy Services, Ledcor, Sunland, Dyess, Jomax, CH2M Hill, Gulf Interstate, Universal Pegasus, Trigon, Mustang Engineering, ENGlobal, AltairStrickland, JV Industrial Companies, Plant Performance Services, KBR, Chicago Bridge & Iron, Matrix Services, MYR Group, Pike Electric and Miller Pipeline.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jeremy Bowman]
What: Shares of Willbros Group (NYSE: WG ) were shining today, gaining as much as 16% after the energy services firm boosted its profit estimate for the current quarter.
Top Oil Companies To Invest In 2014: Woodside Petroleum Ltd (WPL)
Woodside Petroleum Ltd (Woodside) is an Australia-based oil and gas company. Woodside, along with its subsidiaries is engaged in hydrocarbon exploration, evaluation, development, production and marketing. As of December 31, 2011, the Company produced around 700,000 barrels of oil equivalent each day from a portfolio of facilities, which it operates on behalf of some of the major oil and gas companies. It operating facilities include six liquefied natural gas (LNG) trains, five offshore platforms and four oil floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels. It is one of the non-government operators LNG plants. The Company operates six segments: North West Shelf Business Unit, Australia Oil Business Unit, Pluto Business Unit, Browse Business Unit, United States Business Unit and Other. In September 2012, it sold a minority portion of its equity in the proposed Browse LNG Development to Japan Australia LNG (MIMI Browse) Pty Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jonathan Burgos]
Agricultural Bank of China Ltd., the nation�� third-largest lender, slid 2.3 percent in Hong Kong. Yamada Denki Co. sank 4.8 percent in Tokyo after the consumer electronics retailer missed its full-year profit forecast. Woodside Petroleum Ltd. (WPL), Australia�� second-biggest oil producer, jumped 9.7 percent after announcing plans to return cash to shareholders.
Top Oil Companies To Invest In 2014: Southcross Energy Partners LP (SXE)
Southcross Energy Partners, L.P., incorporated on April 12, 2004, is a limited partnership. The Company owns, operates, develops and acquires midstream energy assets. The Company provides natural gas gathering, processing, treating, compression and transportation services and natural gas liquid (NGL) fractionation services to its producer customers, under fixed-fee and fixed-spread contracts, and it also sources, purchases, transports and sells natural gas and NGLs to its power generation, industrial and utility customers. Its assets are located in South Texas, Mississippi and Alabama. During the year ended December 31, 2011, its South Texas assets, which consist of approximately 1,445 miles of pipeline and two processing plants and accounted for approximately 77% of its revenues. Its Mississippi and Alabama assets, which consist of approximately 626 and 519 miles of pipeline, respectively, provide transportation of natural gas to its power generation, industrial and utility customers, as well as to unaffiliated interstate pipelines. The assets in its South Texas region are located between Houston and Freer. These assets consist of approximately 1,445 miles of pipeline ranging in diameter from 2 inches to 20 inches. In March 2014, the Company acquired natural gas pipelines near Corpus Christi, Texas along with contracts related to those pipelines.
South Texas
The assets in the Company�� South Texas region are located between Houston and Freer, a city, which is located approximately 50 miles west of Corpus Christi. These assets consist of approximately 1,445 miles of pipeline ranging in diameter from 2 inches to 20 inches with an estimated design capacity of 590 million cubic feet per day. Its South Texas region also includes 29 compressors with total compression of approximately 35,000 horsepower, two processing plants with total processing capacity of 185 million cubic feet per day and contracted third-party processing capacity of 83 million cubic feet per day, two treatin! g plants and one fractionator. During 2011, the systems in this region had an average throughput of 379 million cubic feet per day, including the processing plants, which processed an average of 75 million cubic feet per day in that period. It divides its South Texas region into four asset systems Vanderbilt and Gulf Coast gathering systems, which it refers to collectively as the Gulf Coast system; CCNG Transmission, which refer to as the CCNG system; Gregory gathering system, Gregory processing plant and Gregory fractionation plant, and Conroe gathering system and Conroe processing plant.
The pipelines in its South Texas segment are connected to multiple producing fields, including the Eagle Ford shale area. In addition to tie-ins to its two processing plants, its gathering systems are also connected to two processing plants owned by third parties and to a range of intrastate and interstate pipelines.
The Gulf Coast system is located throughout 13 counties in South Texas, including parts of the Eagle Ford shale area, and consists of two pipeline systems. The Gulf Coast system includes approximately 743 miles of pipeline ranging from 2 inches to 20 inches in diameter with an estimated design capacity of 205 million cubic feet per day. The system also includes seven compressors with compression of approximately 7,136 horsepower on a combined basis. During 2011, this system had an average throughput of approximately 114 million cubic feet per day.
The Gulf Coast system acquires natural gas from over 100 producers at prices that are at a fixed discount to the Houston Ship Channel Index price. The gas is delivered to third-party processing plants, including the Formosa processing plant located in Point Comfort, Texas and the Hilcorp processing plant located in Old Ocean, Texas. In the case of the Hilcorp processing plant, its customers pay it gathering fees to transport approximately 25 million cubic feet per day from their wells to this processing plant. Its producer ! customers! on the Gulf Coast system range from small independent exploration and production companies to producers, such as Chesapeake Energy and Devon Energy.
The CCNG system is located in the Eagle Ford shale area and consists of over 417 miles of transmission and gathering pipeline ranging from 2 inches to 20 inches in diameter. The system also includes one compressor with total compression of approximately 1,260 horsepower. During 2011, the system had an average throughput of 190 million cubic feet per day. Natural gas is supplied to this system from approximately 35 field receipt points, treating plants and third party gathering systems and pipelines, including Texas Eastern, Kinder Morgan and Conoco Lobo. Producers who supply or transport natural gas on the CCNG system include Swift Energy, EOG, Exxon, Comstock and Apache. Liquids-rich gas can be transported from the western end of the system to its Woodsboro and Gregory processing plants. Dry gas is brought into the dry gas portions of the system along with residue gas from the outlets of its processing plants. Gas in the system is purchased and sold, under fixed-spread arrangements, as well as transported on behalf of shippers. The CCNG system sells its dry natural gas in the industrial market around the city of Corpus Christi. A portion of the throughput on its CCNG system is processed at its Gregory processing plant or at the Formosa processing plant located in Point Comfort, Texas.
The Gregory gathering system is located near Corpus Christi, Texas and consists of approximately 266 miles of pipeline ranging from 4 inches to 18 inches in diameter. The system also includes one compressor. Its Gregory processing plant is a cryogenic natural gas plant comprised of two units collectively having a total capacity of 135 million cubic feet per day. Its Gregory processing plant processes natural gas from the Gregory gathering system, as well as gas originating in its CCNG System.
Produced NGLs are fractionated in the Compan! y�� fra! ctionator located on the same site as the Company�� Gregory processing plant. Purity ethane is shipped through pipeline to Dow Chemical while remaining NGLs are shipped through truck to local markets, which yield a premium to available pipeline rates. All of its customers on the Gregory gathering system pay a flat fee for natural gas to be gathered in the system and processed at the Gregory processing plant. Its Conroe processing plant is a 50 million cubic feet per day cryogenic natural gas plant. The plant recovers approximately 65% of the ethane contained in the inlet natural gas, depending on loads and temperatures.
Mississippi
The assets in the Company�� Mississippi region are located in the southern half of the state and comprise the intrastate pipeline system in Mississippi. The Mississippi assets consist of approximately 626 miles of pipeline ranging in diameter from 2 inches to 20 inches. The Mississippi system also includes two compressors. During 2011, the system had an average throughput of 86 million cubic feet per day. It generates revenues from its Mississippi assets by charging fixed transportation fees to shippers and by entering into fixed-spread contracts with suppliers and power generation, industrial and utility customers. During 2011, fixed-fee transportation contracts comprised 34.8% of the volumes it transported on its Mississippi system and fixed-spread contracts comprised the remaining 65.2% of its volumes.
Alabama
The assets in the Company�� Alabama region are located in northwest and central Alabama and consist of 519 miles of natural gas gathering pipeline ranging from 2 inches to 16 inches in diameter. The Alabama system also includes 22 compressors with total compression of approximately 24,537 horsepower. The system has an estimated design capacity of 375 million cubic feet per day. The gas supply to the system is coalbed methane gas from the Black Warrior Basin with incremental volumes gathered from conventional ! gas wells! . It gathers, transports, compresses, purchases and sells natural gas in Alabama and offers both intrastate transportation and interstate transportation services. During 2011, 81% of the volumes on its Alabama system were transported pursuant to fixed-fee transportation contracts and 19% of the volumes on the system were purchased from producers and then transported and sold to power generation, industrial and utility customers pursuant to fixed-spread contracts.
The Company competes with Copano Energy, L.L.C., Energy Transfer Partners, L.P., Enterprise Products Partners LP and Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
Southcross Energy Partners LP (NYSE: SXE) shares rose 11.05% to $20.61. The volume of Southcross Energy shares traded was 624% higher than normal. Southcross Energy and TexStar Midstream Services announced a combination agreement.
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