I am looking to make an investment in oil or oil production.  Any suggestions?  I found a couple of ETFs however wondering if its better to invest in individual companies.   Thanks

Find an operator and buy a "Working Interest" in a proposed well. Big risk, but also big reward.

I would avoid "pssst hey buddy" deals and direct land investments.  Oil and Gas fraud is the favorite form of investor fraud out there.  Instead, I'd invest in oil and energy companies on the stock market.  I won't publicly say who to steer clear of.  But companies that have their act together (as much as they can - everyone has internal goofyness) include Energen, Devon, Sandridge, and Hess. Little guys like Apex Energy have impressed me as well.  

Obviously there is some risk with such an investment.  $110/bbl oil is likely over for a while - baring a war.   But the secret to success is to do what everyone else is not.  Just don't be the guy buying Enron!

Speaking of investments, anyone else note that copper commodity prices are extremely low right now?  Between that, low energy prices (transport of heavy things), and the rubble of the ruble (a market price affecting force),  I'm thinking sometime around late spring 2015 or so, ammo prices will be at a bottom, and that will be a good time to replenish stockpiles. So I'd shave off a couple grand or so of that investment folio and set it aside for planned long term ammo replenishment budget.

my picks... check them out. at todays prices they all are great investments. diversify, dont invest in end suppliers.

National Oilwell Varco, Inc. (NOV)
-NYSE
provides equipment and components for oil and gas drilling and production.

NOW Inc. (DNOW)
-NYSE
distributes energy and industrial products to upstream, midstream, downstream, and industrial markets in the United States, Canada, and internationally.

Halliburton Company (HAL)
-NYSE
provides a range of services and products for the exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas to oil and gas companies worldwide.

keeping a close eye on: Transocean Ltd. (RIG)
-NYSE

ERX - Direxion Energy Bull 3x ETF

I am in the business and if you don't know what you are doing this is a great way to lose your ass. A working interest means just that. You have have a working interest in the well. You pay a certain amount up front and then as additional expenses come in you are billed for those as well. Your initial investment could be just the tip of the iceberg. Also they usually won't fool with you unless you are investing 25k or more.

On the plus side you can make killer returns. It is not unheard of to make ten times your money on a good well but for every good one you might have five turds. Most people that invest in oil wells successfully spread it out over numerous wells. For example put 25k each into ten wells. You win some and lose some and hopefully it evens out over the long haul.

There are tax advantages to that as well I think, compared to buying oil-related stocks?
Energy, lumber and real estate are areas that still have tax deductions.

http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/finance/1421198/

ar-jedi

VGENX from Vanguard, its a mutual fund that invests in the types of stocks you want.

 

a lot of these companies are going to go up 25-30% in the next 12-18 months

get some schlumberger, halliburton, continental, eog, concho, those guys have been beat up

I picked up RDS.A a few days ago for 64.60.  I have time to wait.

if looking at crude etf/etn's make sure you are learning about how contago works.

Then you can join our prayer group. "Lord please just give us one more boom. I promise won't piss it all away next time".