Exxon stock (NYSE: XOM) has turned green after news emerged that Exxon Mobil Corp is in potential acquisition talks with oil and gas company Pioneer Natural Resources (NYSE: PXD). The news emerged first on Monday and it sent the XOM stock up nearly 6% on that day. The stock then slightly dropped before surging to a higher price although it is still trading lower than where it was last week on…

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Make no mistake about it, the energy oil trade is a manipulated market. Major entity Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) sets prices and production levels. This makes it difficult to trade energy stocks with confidence. But this is an aberration that I can use to my advantage to easily profit from them. Today we examine the opportunities in Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund(NYSE…

InvestorPlace: Trade of the Day: Exxon Mobil Stock Offers a Defined Short

Although Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) shares are still in the green year-to-date, things have not been so simple for Exxon stock. XOM has seen more swings than a playground this year. And the stock’s most recent rally now has it failing at a critical area of technical resistance on the charts where a good reward-to-risk trade looks to be setting up for active investors and traders alike.

An easy way…

InvestorPlace: Kinder Morgan Stock Capitulates, Renews a Rally Fast Taking Shape

As of last Thursday, Kinder Morgan (NYSE:KMI) shares looked to be in real trouble. Already fading from a big January-February rally, KMI stock plunged below its pivotal 50-day moving average line in response to a lackluster full-year outlook.

Things have changed dramatically so far this week, with Kinder Morgan stock bouncing back in a pretty convincing way.

Against a backdrop of…

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) is challenging the $2.6 million fine imposed against it by a judicial ruling earlier this year. The company has filed an appeal against the ruling to see if the ruling can be reversed.

Exxon Mobil Pipeline Company, a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation has filed legal documents that challenge the fine imposed by the Safety Administration Authority. The company was fined due to a rupture on the Pegasus pipeline that caused the spillage of heavy crude oil into a Mayflower division. The incident took place in March 2013. According to a report filed by The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette earlier this week, Exxon Mobil plans to try to convince the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overrule the $2.6 million fine that the company had already paid earlier this year.

The firm is currently awaiting a response from the Administration which is expected to respond on September 16. The lawyers from Justice Department presented a counter argument claiming that the firm failed to conform to its own procedures during the assessment of the Pegasus pipeline. When the leak happened, the crude oil spilled into a Mayflower subdivision in ditches and it ultimately spread into a Lake Conway cove. Attorneys from the government claim that the leakage caused property damage worth more than $57 million.

The compliance-order requirement issued by the safety agency is supposed to guide the company through the revision process for all the electric-resistance-welded pipes. This is particularly intended for the pipelines laid down before 1970 throughout the entire pipeline. Exxon Mobil operates more than more than 1,000 miles of pipeline and it is regulated by the federal agency.

“PHMSA found violations in this case only after a release occurred,” claimed Exxon in a statement.

The court filings claim that the agency has failed to come up with any objections to the analysis carried out by the company especially that the Pegasus pipeline could suffer failure. The company claimed that the civil penalty will be too high even if the court discovered that that the agency acted within its authority.

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) has no option but to put to vote a climate change proposal spearheaded by New York State’s comptroller at the upcoming shareholders meeting. The Securities and Exchange Commission made the ruling despite strong opposition from the oil giant.

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Impact of Shareholders Vote

The agency on its ruling downplayed Exxon Mobil’s arguments that it already provides adequate carbon disclosures. According to the SEC, most of the reports the company says it has published don’t go far enough.

Exxon’s only way out of the current standoff is shareholders ruling in its favor at an upcoming AGM. Should shareholders approve the publishing of more carbon disclosures, then the company could be in more trouble. The firm will be forced to publish some of the risks that climate change or legislations designed to combat it could pose to its ability to generate profits in future.

The publishing of such reports is the last thing the oil giant needs at the moment. Such information could go a long in way in spooking potential investors, a situation the company wants to avoid. Even as the SEC pushes for a vote, Exxon Mobil still has an upper hand on getting its wish.

Shareholders Support

The company’s shareholders have been supportive so far having never approved any kind of climate change proposal. Last year they unanimously rejected the appointment of a climate change expert to the board. Given the stakes at hand, it will not come as a surprise if they vote against the New York State Comptroller report.

Ahead of the key vote, Exxon Mobil remains entangled in a series of carbon related battles. It is currently trying to clear its name over allegations it misled the public about the risks of climate change. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, is spearheading the inquiry having pursued similar cases in the past.

After an eight-year investigation, he successfully settled a case involving Peabody Energy. The coal giant as part of the agreement is required to amend its climate change disclosures. Exxon Mobil on its part has hired Theodore Wells to defend its interest amidst Schneiderman advances.

At a time when the global oil price is struggling to hold its forte, ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), as well as, Statoil were granted a license in Ireland to explore oil, as well as, gas in the country. Both the companies were given six options to explore oil and gas offshore in Ireland in the latest round of licensing. Though finding oil might take some more time, the move would involve additional capital expenditures for the American firm.

50% Stake In All The Acreage

According to the reports, Statoil and ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) would be receiving a stake of 50% each in all the acreage. Currently, the Statoil will be receiving a minimum of four operatorships whereas the American firm would get the rest of the two. Ireland has probably decided to take advantage of the weak sentiments prevailing in the world in the energy sector so that the drilling operations could be done at a cheaper rate. Some of the drilling companies have kept their drilling activities idle.

Statoil indicated that work on the licenses was restricted to carrying out the seismic surveys during the current year, as well as, the next year. However, there were riders attached to the current set of licensing conditions. These riders included the option to drill such locations at a much later date based on the analysis of the data from the seismic surveys.

Supporting The Exploration Tactics

Statoil indicated that the recent licensing for it and ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) supported the company’s tactics of exploration in respect of early access at scale. The company expressed its confidence that the exploration knowledge, as well as, the experience it gained at the global levels would come in handy. The company stressed precisely the conjugate margin of offshore drilling.

The news comes on the heels of ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) seeking to raise over $12 billion from a bond issue in the current quarter. The reports suggested that the amount is earmarked for a war chest. The latest move also comes on the heels of a significant slash in capital expenditures for the current year.