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.

Hi SWW, yes it was a very interesting discussion over there, extremely technical to say the least. Was never good at my angles at school! Looking forward to seeing the test results from the well in a couple of weeks, and also to the delayed results.

Hopefully CNV-3X will show good test results and maybe lead to Seymours Pierce changing their rating from sell to buy. No doubt those who took Seymours advice will be regreting it now.

A decent start to today, moving up on relatively low volume. What seems interesting today is that 4 of this mornings buys were above the offer price.

Mm.............

Looks like a few are catching on to the hidden meanings in the RNS.

Here's hoping that over the next 3 weeks or so quite a few more people will be given good reason to catch on here!

SWW,
What hidden meanings??

James

Interesting article on Vietnamese oil on Rigzone, doesnt mention Soco though.

http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=22046

Results date confirmed, price moving up on the back of this. And an analyst meeting on the 9th May. :-))

Soco International PLC
26 April 2005


SOCO International plc

Notice of Results

SOCO International plc will be announcing its Preliminary results for the year
ended 31 December 2004 on Friday 29 April 2005.

A meeting for analysts will be held on Monday 9 May 2005. For further details
please contact Nick Elwes at College Hill on 020 7457 2020.


26 April 2005

Enquiries:

College Hill
Nick Elwes 020 7457 2020

This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

CNV announcement on the same day?

Hard to call. The RNS on the 18th said 2 to 3 weeks to test CNV so it may be a bit tight for time for the 29th, thats only 11 days. However, I would assume CNV would be fully tested and news out by the 9th May for the analysts meeting. The EGM is on the 10th May, but I see that as just a formaility to vote on selling the Mongalian assets to the Chinese.

Can't wait for May, should be an interesting month to say the least! Hopefully the analyst's will like what the see. :-))

Forgot to say, the results were to be released on the 13th I think and were delayed. When I contacted the company for a new date, was told end April but at the time that was only a pencilled in date.

Thanks to Emptyend and Davjo on TMF for pointing this out. Looks as if Soco are looking for finance from the IFC which is a member of the World Bank.

"The Company has an active drilling program scheduled for 2005. The Company has so far relied on internal cash and short-term facilities to cover its activities, but given SOCO's increasing development needs and expanding foot-print in developing countries, it is seeking a long-term relationship and financing from IFC. In line with recent IFC revolving facilities for other UK independents, SOCO has requested a revolving corporate facility to finance their growing development expenditure in emerging markets."



http://ifcln001.worldbank.org/IFCExt/spiwebsite1.nsf/2bc34f011b50ff6e85256a550073ff1c/51dc0b718300441085256fea00623c54?OpenDocument

Results out, look good to me. Plenty of positives to read in the Chairmans statement and for the outlook and prospects for 2005, very happy.

HIGHLIGHTS

Solid operating results with post tax profit of 15.5 million (2003:
restated post tax profit of 5.7 million) including profit on sale of Tunisia
assets

Gain of 8.4 million relating to sale of Tunisia assets

Earnings per share of 22.2p (2003: restated earnings per share of 8.2p)

Year end cash balances and short term deposits of 37.0 million, no debt

Production up to 5,533 BOPD (2003: 5,409 BOPD)

Acquisition and reinterpretation of seismic in Vietnam to prepare for
extensive exploratory and appraisal drilling programme in 2005, CNV-3X well
spudded in January, preliminary testing operations have begun

Basement drilling in East Shabwa, Yemen, has exceeded expectations

Restructuring of ODEX completed with various opportunities being
explored

Continued streamlining of portfolio focussing on projects offering
more immediate upside



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

'During 2004 we have laid the foundations for the future growth of the Group.
We have continued to build on our strategic alliances with key partners and
taken decisive steps to streamline our portfolio.

We are optimistic as we embark upon one of the most important and exciting
drilling programmes in our history that the drill bit will provide excellent
results for SOCO in the coming year. '

29 April 2005



http://www.uk-wire.com/cgi-bin/articles/200504290700206983L.html

Looks very promising.

Production up to 5,533 BOPD double that based on recent results alone for next year.

Indeed it does SWW. The financials look very strong to me with still no debt on the books. So much to actually read in the ENS that I feel was very positive. This snippet re 2005 plans for Yemen stands out, plenty of drilling action:

"This year there will be the continuation of a very active drilling programme on
Block 10. Towards the end of this period, it is possible that two exploration
wells will be drilled on recently identified Basement prospects. Initially, the
exploitation programme will continue with plans to drill six wells. A second
drilling phase of seven wells is contingent upon the success of phase one."

Very strange price action this afternoon. Drops 25 in a few minutes, then bounces 20 back up. This DMA is a great laugh, not! I wonder what the anaylsts will think on the 9th. By then I would hope that the CNV results will be in.

A decent rise today, analyst meeting on Monday could account for the rise.

CNV3X flow test result due Monday.....................

If good watch the sp go...................

good luck.

I would imagine they would be released before the analyst meeting. Not sure what time the meeting is at though, early start tomorrow. Should be an interesting day to say the least!

And, nothing..............................

Probably later at the EGM?.

Might be the case SWW. Since the news from CNV-3X, either good or bad, it would be price sensitive information so I would assume it would have to be released to the market as soon as possible. Perhaps the analysts may get an "indication" of how the results will be before we do! Also, they may get to know the timescale for the rest of drilling in Vietnam and Yemen for this year.

Anyhow, the RNS on the 18th said 2 to 3 weeks to test so we should get them very soon I would have thought.