Right I havent beleived in investing directly in an oil company untill today and in the last few months have been investing in OIL SERVICE companys Hamworthy and Corac, you know the picks and shovels tale.

Anyway after doing a lot of research I really feel that SOCO INTERNATIONAL SIA as been left behind in the mass bull market on oil companies.

Forget, Burren, Regal, Dana and the rest in my opinion this is the one to be on.

So.....why buy Soco now?

Four inter-related reasons:

1) Newsflow is now very much in sight on several fronts. None of it has yet emerged though, so analysts have yet to revisit their old views and recommendations. There was, and indeed remains, a chance to get in before serious interest picks up again.

2) There is, IMO, a decent chance of some very large price rises within the next 6 months, accompanied by increased downside protection. Once newsflow starts, the shares will come back onto institutional radar screens - you can wait for it to emerge, or you can speculate now at what I think will prove to be a lower price -perhaps much lower!

3) The market thinks there is nothing happening and has gone to sleep on the prospects. You can see this in the broadly sideways drift and very low volumes on most days [until this week]. They are wrong. Yemen and perhaps Mongolia should provide some near-term good news.

4) The time to buy is when no-one else seems very interested.

And heres the last results from the company......................

Soco International PLC
02 September 2004

SOCO International plc

Interim Results for the six months ended 30 June 2004

SOCO is an international oil and gas exploration and production company,
headquartered in London. The Company has interests in Vietnam, Mongolia, Yemen,
Libya, Tunisia and Thailand, with production operations in Yemen, Tunisia and
Mongolia. SOCO today announces interim results for the half year ended 30 June
2004.

HIGHLIGHTS

Operating profit of 4.1 million (2003: 4.2 million)

Net profit of 2.0 million (2003: 2.5 million)

Earnings per share of 2.9p (2003: 3.6p)

Cash balance of 26.7 million at half year end

Finalised the sale of an interest in ODEX creating a consortium of SOCO
(34%), Oilinvest (46%) and Gazprombank (20%) in the special purpose
entity to progress initiatives in Libya and other countries

Continued reinterpretation of existing 3D seismic and acquisition of 650
sq km of new 3D seismic in Vietnam prior to commencement of drilling in
Q1 2005

3D seismic programme completed in Mongolia with two wells drilled, both
apparent discoveries, and a third well spudded

First ever deviated Basement well drilling in East Shabwa in Yemen



Ed Story, President and Chief Executive of SOCO, said:

'Following an extended period of quiet preparation, the release of interim
results coincides with the commencement of a very active drilling programme for
SOCO, one that I believe has company transforming potential'

2 September 2004

ENQUIRIES:
SOCO International plc Tel: 020 7457 2020 (today)ENDS.

This could really be a craking stock and is worth getting in at these lowly price figures.

Please DYOR

cheers GF.

Good volume supporting the rise now and not much sign of a shake (yet).

Long may it continue

Healthy volume indeed Al. At this rate we will hit your 6 long before Easter! :-) An artcile on Citywire about Contini's purchase reported on Friday, but its subscription only.

"After the bell on Friday it was announced that a non-executive director of oil exploration company Soco International recently bought 40,000 shares in the company that now appears to be on a roll; Edmond Jackson takes a closer look."

http://www.citywire.co.uk/News/NewsArticle.aspx?VersionID=72203&MenuKey=News.Home

Edmond Jackson: Soco worth a look after director's purchase
Published: 12:30 Sunday 20 February 2005 < PREV | 1 | 2 | NEXT > TOTAL PAGES: 2
By: Joanne Wallen, Associate Editor Back To Latest News Printable Version

Related Articles
Soco up again on Yemen production tests:
13:01 Fri 18 February 2005 read









After the bell on Friday it was announced that a non-executive director of oil exploration company Soco International recently bought 40,000 shares in the company that now appears to be on a roll; Edmond Jackson takes a closer look.

It was intriguing how, after Friday mornings drilling test result from Yemen (see Citywire archive on Soco), a 5.36pm announcement on Friday afternoon cited Ettore Contini, a 29 year-old non-executive director, having bought 40,000 shares (SIA) at an average price of 453p to hold a total 60,000.

Given that the trades were disclosed as being made on 9 February, the timing of all this looks curious when the test result news noted how the KHA-403 and KHA-402 Yemen wells spudded late last year. As reported on Citywire on Friday, it was then announced that the KHA-403 well had produced more than 6,500 barrels of oil per day when tested this month and has been connected to local production facilities. Socos deputy chief executive described it as extremely exciting news and the shares rose 29p to 487/494p.

This marks an overall re-rating of around two-thirds the groups market value in early December when Soco declared oil and gas shows and a further update would be issued when testing results were available. However one interprets the non-executive director's share trading, Soco has made clear to the market that 2005 would be a key year. Last September, chief executive Ed Story said: Following an extended period of quiet preparation, the release of interim results coincides with the commencement of a very active drilling programme, one that I believe has company transforming potential.

Although Soco shares are hitting fresh highs amid the excitement, and conservative investors may feel it is time to lock in gains, one should be aware how oil and gas exploration/production (E&P) shares can enter a purple patch as key projects are drilled.

We saw this dramatically last year, when Cairn Energy (CNE) tested new share price highs on drilling results from Rajasthan then roughly trebled. This event excited the entire junior oil sector and the search was on for the next Cairn Energy. So be aware how E&P share break-outs can imply both the underlying commercial reality and that investor perceptions are about to be transformed.

When such a powerful indicator coincides with a director snapping up 181,200 worth of shares, the notion of smelling the coffee has a very stimulating aroma!

Some investors find Socos geographical exposure high-risk, for example to Vietnam, where there is a significant multi-well exploration programme. What extent of success by foreign companies is tolerable in a developing country, before politicians start to tinker with agreements etc? Expatriates who have returned from Vietnam have recounted some tough tales of doing business there. In fairness to Soco, it is well diversified geographically, with exploration also in Libya, Mongolia, Thailand and obviously Yemen too. Production originates from Tunisia and Yemen. The company ought to update its website www.socointernational.co.uk, which discusses all this from a 2003 perspective.

Investor expectations have tended to focus on Vietnam as the key exploration driver, but this progress in Yemen has caught the market's imagination. Value targets are a guessing game, but that is often the nature of fast-moving resources exploration; why you often have to accept a speculative aspect in a share like this.

Soco could do more to explain its 2005 exploration in the public domain, so one could feel as confident as Ettore Contini - to make a six figure share purchase - but that trade could well be a leading indicator for this share!

cheers GF.

Many thanks for posting that Goldfinger, makes interesting reading.

From the Times today:

Directors' dealings



"Soco International, the oil and gas explorer, rose 26p to a record 516p as a non-executive bought stock for 181,200 following last weeks upbeat drilling update from Yemen. Ettore Contini disclosed late on Friday the purchase of 40,000 shares at 453p, taking his holding to 60,000 shares. Soco, which has interests in Vietnam, Mongolia, Libya and Thailand, reported a successful production test from two wells in Yemens Kharir field."

I may have missed it, but from what I have found out, the 2004 finals are due on or around the 20th March.

Can anyone shed any light so I can put the date in my diary please?

Nothing on the web site to confirm this.

Thanks.

Back tomorrow evening.

Hi SWW,

Last years finals were released on the 11th March so I would expect them to be released at around the same date. Last year there was no RNS giving a specific date so there might not be one this year again.

Cheers

Gav

Just tried some dummy trades. Can buy 3750 at 520, but sell 15k at 516.85.

gavdfc - yes, tried that myself this morning with same result.

Took a few on CFD yesterday

Al, this seems to be what it was like for the big rise at the end of last year. For most of the time, you could have bought far more than could have sold online. I think one time i tried a dummy trade, Com wouldnt even let me buy online. If the Americans start buying some later then I think we will move up again today.

Could be a well timed move you taking some more yesterday.

Nice 100k at 520.

Doubled ISA holding at 522p.

Nice quick move up, well done on your timing Al!

Up she goes, but do we know why?

Can only buy 75 online with Com, but sell 20k. Stock shortage here it seems.

Added CFD's 530

Another cracking day Gav.

cheers GF.

Still wanting above mid too.

So it is.

2 times 100 thousand and the mm's have a flap.

Nice.

Bit of retail buying going on too.

Very interesting to watch.

Indeed it is Goldfinger. Can still only buy 75 shares online, but sell 20k well above bid as Al points out. Seems like you've been busy adding Al!

SWW, these shares are very tightly held so when they move they seem to move fast,similar to the move up last year, and the online trading limits are also similar.