Before jumping into the oil and gas business, make sure that you have the latest in oil and gas information and are well aware of the in's and out's of the oil and gas industry. Oil and gas investments are large money propositions, and whether you choose to get your hands dirty with the operational day-to-day, or you choose to simply be a silent backer in a petroleum company, the dollar investment is high, the work is hard and the risk is large.

The oil and gas industry is impacted by factors out of human control. Weather can play a factor in the safe transport of oil and gas company assets. Oil and gas are also both very flammable, making them hazardous and dangerous to transport. Other factors that impact oil companies include outside human factors such as supply and demand, piracy and international market fluctuations.

To find out more about oil and gas basics:

1. Look at leading oil and gas information sites for topics such as oil and gas financing and more.

2. Read the latest oil and gas information from online industry publications.

3. See what Uncle Sam has to offer as far as oil and gas information.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Check out oil and gas industry information sites

Take advantage of oil and gas to find out basic industry information or to delve deeper into industry trends, news and information.

I recommend: Use Oil and Gas International as your information source for global industry news, exploration and drilling information, development and licensing information, geosciences and environmental information as well as global prices, stats and analysis. Oil and Gas Investor looks at investing in the industry, who the key players are, what activities are going on in the field, market trends as well as growth for the petroleum industry.

Read oil and gas publications

Stay up-to-date on oil and gas information through online field publications.

I recommend: Check out the latest headlines, supplier news, events calendar as well as the download library, technical forum and newsletter archive from Oil and Gas Online. Take a look at the American Oil & Gas Reporter, a best practices publication published by the exploration, drilling and production industry.

Find government oil and gas resources

The U.S. government has a wide variety of online resources available pertaining to oil and gas information. From both a federal and a state level, find the information on oil and gas that you need.

I recommend: Take advantage of the oil and gas information from the Energy Resources Program. Visit the Oil & Gas Conservation Commission for your state. There you can generally find educational as well as rule and policy information pertaining to your particular state.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider investing in a hard copy subscription of a publication for your oil and gas business. Not only will you get to enjoy the reading material, but your staff and your guests will as well.

With increased pressure for greater oil production and new sources of clean energy, opportunities to invest in the oil and gas industry are on the rise. Finding new sources of oil and gas as well as people willing to put their money on the line are important to the oil and gas business.

Oil companies need investors to fund research, the development of new technologies and the search for new sources of oil and gas. Property owners benefit from the search for energy as well.

Farmers and other landowners sell mineral rights to oil companies and earn royalties from minerals found on their property. This is good for the landowner and for oil and gas businesses.

Oil and gas information will:

1. Provide opportunities for investing in big oil.
2. Educate potential oil and gas investment firms.
3. Encourage oil exploration and new refinement capabilities.
4. Provide opportunities for landowners to receive royalties from oil and gas rights.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find opportunities to invest in big oil

Don't assume that investing in oil is for those already known in the business or the wealthy. Check out investment opportunities on big oil websites and through oil and gas investment firms.

I recommend: Start with Exxon Mobil’s website for a great way to begin your search for investment opportunities. Visit Marathon Oil for more investment opportunity information.

Use experienced oil and gas financing firms for investment opportunities

Many financial institutions deal exclusively with oil and gas investments. These financial institutions fund research and development of alternative fuel sources by recruiting investors.

I recommend: TGO Permian, LLC is a Texas oil and gas company specializing in exploration and development of onshore oil and natural gas prospects in petroleum rich areas. Try Fossil Oil and Gas for more investment opportunities.

Finance your own oil and gas project through big oil investment firms

Oil and gas financing is important for ongoing research in the oil and gas industry. All businesses connected with the industry need information on funding sources for projects related to drilling, new sources of oil and new trends in refinement.

I recommend: Jones Day is a full service oil and gas finance company specializing in both investment opportunities for individuals and financing of oil and gas projects and research.
Emerging Markets Financial International provides evaluation, structuring, funding and market strategies for your oil and gas project.

Sell oil and gas rights to oil companies for royalty payments

Investing isn't the only way to make money from oil and gas. Oil companies are constantly looking for new sources and drilling locations. Land owners retain ownership of their land while being paid for any oil and gas found.

I recommend: Use an experienced oil and gas lawyer to help you sell your mineral rights. Contact the American Bar Association for help locating a certified oil and gas attorney in your area.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Never sell oil and gas rights without the proper legal representation. Careful wording of all documents related to property are necessary to secure ownership and how property deeds and mineral rights pass to family members.

Staying abreast of and knowing where to find information on the oil and gas industries can be an asset to your business and its interests. From business dinner conversations, to the board room, to the stock market to internally within your own company, keeping up with the latest information affecting your field can help you appear more knowledgeable and can help you to stay on top of making wise business decisions.

Oil and gas industry information in terms of news and trends can be found from a variety of online sources. From portals to publications, there is a wealth of free, up-to-date information available on a daily basis.

To make the most of oil and gas news and trends:

1. Scan the oil and gas newswires regularly.

2. Read oil and gas industry publications.

3. Use oil and gas information portals.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Read the oil and gas financing newswires and info sites

Take advantage of leading information sites' subtopic pages on the oil and gas industry. Learn the latest news and a wealth of information on the field.

I recommend: Platts is a leading news source for the energy industry. Check Bloomberg for news and information on oil and gas prices and commodity trading. Yahoo! News and Topix gather the latest oil and gas industry news from many sources.

Keep up with the latest oil and gas industry news and information

Read up on the most up to date oil and gas information, news and trends in the online version, or make the decision to invest in hard copies to be mailed to your home or office.

I recommend: Oil & Gas Journal Online gives you the most up-to-date information on international oil and gas news. It looks at analysis of issues and events. It addresses practical technology for your design, operation and maintenance of your plants, and it also offers statistical information on international oil & gas markets and activity. Offshore Magazine Online covers the key issues and trends in the offshore technology, oil and gas industries.

Use oil and gas portals and press release sites

Take advantage of oil and gas portals and those who accept press releases from oil companies to learn more about the latest industry info.

I recommend: Use Rigzone.com as a portal to the latest oil and gas businesses' information. Read the latest information of share your news with Your Oil & Gas News.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Using oil and gas online publications are great for those who spend a lot of free time in front of the computer, but taking advantage of hard copy subscriptions may be worth the cost to those who can only find fleeting time to read up on information (e.g. in transit on a plane) when they don't have a computer in front of them.

The oil and gas industry is vital to the United States. Every year, large quantities of domestic and foreign oil are consumed for a number of applications. Similarly, the natural gas industry is booming: More pipelines are being built, and more ways to use natural gas are being developed. New technologies in this industry can help reduce the dependency on foreign oil and make drilling practices better for the environment.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Oil exploration

Oil exploration is the way that oil companies find land rich in petroleum. This process uses geologists to find hydrocarbon deposits beneath the crust of the earth.

I recommend: The Society of Exploration Geophysicists offers a step-by-step guide on how oil was found in the past and the technologies being used today.

Refinement

Refinement in the oil industry is the process of taking crude oil product from the earth and using a distilling process to turn the oil into a usable product.

I recommend: The Encyclopedia of the Earth offers a detailed entry on the process of petroleum refinement.

Onshore oil

Onshore oil exploration is the practice of finding oil deposits in the earth on the land above sea level.

I recommend: John Perez offers land schematics for onshore oil and gas drilling that points out specific geological features to find or be aware of when drilling.

Offshore oil

Offshore oil is the process of drilling for oil and natural gas in land that is below sea level. The Gulf of Mexico is an example of an oil-rich area located offshore.

I recommend: Santa Clara University offers information on the basics of the offshore drilling process.

Oil and gas lawyer

An oil and gas lawyer is an important legal representative for those who own land where oil and natural gas deposits are found. The lawyer helps to make sure the landowner is paid for the oil collected from the land.

I recommend: The Oil and Gas Lawyer Blog is written by an oil lawyer and includes a variety of useful topics, including specific information on clauses and agreements.

Gas processing

Gas processing varies depending on the location of the source but is a process of turning the raw product into natural gas products for consumers.

I recommend: Penn Energy offers research reports and data on gas processing.