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.

Gav.

Is this one the one that went in sideways?

May explain the deep hole.........

Yes he should but I have a funny feeling he won't.

He has made enough in 2-3 months to equal my ex mortage which took 25 years to pay off.

Good for him.

"Fortune favors the brave." (Virgil)

(oh er, Thunderbird 2 pilot?)

Shake, Moma Shake............

Hi SWW,

Looks like a bit of a sector wide thing today with a lot of the bigger more well known names taking a bit of a hit. Stops being taken out perhaps as people don't want to lose profits? No doubt a few traders will have a few shorts running to run with this pullback. I noticed that BUR have taken a decent hit over the last few days on news of selling some of their Mbundi field, a bigger fall than some of the other oils have taken today. I wonder if some have been selling stakes in other companies to buy back into BUR. Of course, this could work with regards to other companies as well. sell one to top up in another they already hold. Just a couple of thoughts out loud. Good news on the IFC credit facility though. Here's the RNS in case anyone missed it:

Soco International PLC
16 August 2005



SOCO International plc
('SOCO' or 'the Company')


Provision by International Finance Corporation
of the World Bank of US$45 Million Credit Facility


SOCO is an international oil and gas exploration and production company,
headquartered in London traded on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent of
the FTSE 250 Index. The Company has continuing interests in Vietnam, Yemen,
Libya and Thailand with ongoing production operations in Yemen. SOCO's
transaction to dispose of its Mongolian operations is pending completion after
gaining approval from its shareholders at an EGM on 10 May 2005.


The Company today announces that the International Finance Corporation ('IFC'),
the private sector arm of the World Bank Group has agreed to provide Soco with a
US$45m reserve-based, revolving credit facility.


Commenting on this, Ed Story, Chief Executive Officer, said:

'We are pleased to have instituted this credit facility with the IFC. It gives
us increased financial flexibility as we progress several of our projects and it
also gives us a strong ally in the countries in which we have current operations
as well as those countries in which we may initiate projects in the future.'


16 August 2005


ENQUIRIES:


SOCO International plc
Roger Cagle Deputy Chief Executive and Tel: 020 7747 2000
Chief Financial Officer


Pelham Public Relations
James Henderson Tel: 020 7743 6673
Charles Vivian Tel: 020 7743 6672






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

Thanks gavin.

Have a look at a pillow talk on the other channel.

ee has not minced words with him.

SWW,

Just had a look round on the other channel. What a lot of garbage written by that Pillow! So if he's to be believed, he's been running a short since July, he's done really well out of it then! :-))))

"Short position increased due to reports of an alarming geological survey" LOL!!!!

What a lot of tosh! How on earth would he know of alarming geolgical survey's!!! I guess the KHA 405 results from Yemen put paid to that ridiculous statement.

And "Mother of all short positions now opened" His short's still doing really well then!!

And "Situation is indeed bleak, prepare for major correction in share price" Another cracker!

And some more "Well todays news is at best dreadful, having to go cap in hand to the world bank beggers belief. Please Sir can we have some more - More!! More!!. Taken Major short position today. Tough times ahead for Soco i`m afraid. Smart investors will take profits on recent unjustified run/mark up " Another lot of garbage!

And this coming from the same person who was ramping the hell out of this on the same thread earlier in the year! It's no wonder the site has the reputation that it does. I don't have a problem with people shorting, happens all the time. But when they give reasons like the above it makes me laugh!

Looking at the intraday chart, a sharp drop then a rapid reversal up at 662. Shorts closing or buyers taking advantage of the price fall? Anyway good to see that we made back the earlier fall.

Another RNS out today for those who might have missed it:

Director Dealings

RNS this morning on the completion of the sale of the Mongolian assets:

Following completion of the sale, the Company has received the first tranche of
cash consideration of approximately US$ 29.6 million, following the applicable
settlement adjustments. As agreed the second tranche of cash consideration of
US$10 million has been paid into an escrow account for release to the Company in
18 months contingent upon the conditions as earlier announced. A subsequent
payment of up to US$53 million will be tied to future production from the
divested interests in excess of 27.8 million barrels.


With the receipt of the first tranche cash consideration, SOCO currently has a
net cash balance of approximately US$90 million.

Mongolian Assets

New Vietnam Discovery

You just have to be excited!!!

Shame the mm dont seem to be, but if anyone wants in on good news, this is the time, I mean, right now!

Good hey Gav?

Well it seems to have stuck and still below previous intraday highs by a way.

Patience then.

SWW,

Excellent news indeed this morning! Very happy here with the drilling report. I wonder if this will finally lead to any analyst changing their stance on Soco? Probably not, but still, we've done okay considering their views!

Pillow's "mother of all shorts" seems to have run into a few slight problems! ;-)

This is one of the increasingly regular occurences whereby the quality of the research on the BB's has been of an infinitely better quality than the drivel being spurted out by the analysts !!
Well done to all holders - sadly I've only got Burren and Venture Production !!

;o)

Just found this:

Soco International Rises On Vietnam Find

Monday, August 22, 2005 4:38:17 AM ET
Dow Jones Newswires



0817 GMT [Dow Jones] Soco International's (SIA.LN) find in Vietnam shows the company is "doing a brilliant job," focusing on its two core areas of Vietnam and Yemen, says analyst Peter Hitchens at Teather & Greenwood. Notes the announcement is likely to drive asset valuation upgrades more than earnings forecast upgrades, but says the find "opens up other possibilities in the area." Shares +7.1% at 750p. (PBA)

http://www.newratings.com/analyst_news/article_980045.html

Supermono, agreed. Although Burren and Venture haven't exactly been shabby either though!

congrats. a great call when you first mentioned it to me gavdfc at just below 500p. unfortunately i am not in but good fro those who are.

Cheers Prop. Most happy at the way the current drilling program in Vietnam and Yemen is progressing, as you would imagine! Will be interesting to see how the Americans play today's news when they get up.

Article on Citywire by Edmond Jackson on this mornings news Premium article so can't read the full piece.

Citywire Article

Also, thanks to Entrust on TMF for finding this Peel Hunt note. Seems Tony Alves says "reduce".

Peel Hunt Note

Cracking good news. Although Im supposed to be on holiday I couldnt help but gloat at the announcement. I still think theres a lot more in this one aswell.

I remember the nut cases on advfn having a go at me over this one when I said that I felt it was a far superior investment to Burren many months ago.

Patience as rewarded me and others and it such a great feeling. Well done to everyone.

Cheers GF.

PS, next one up Global Energy Development. The infrastructure is being put in place on the management side I see.

The last paragraph from Edmund Jackson on Citywire.............

" I am not chasing the mark-up in Soco, but would advise hanging on for more good news on this offshore Vietnamese prospect - even though brokers Seymour Pierce and.KBC Peel Hunt advised selling the shares in July." Ends.

Well Im holding mine for more gains.

cheers GF.

Hi GF,

Hope your holiday's going well, a bit sweeter after today's news I would imagine. Agree we have more to go for here. We have only had the results of the first 2 wells in the Vietnam program. Still more drilling to come in Yemen and hopefully some sort of deal in West Africa. I'm sure you would have also caught the news regarding the $45m revolving credit facility from the IFC announced last week.

Thanks for the last para of the Citywire piece. IIRC, Edmond Jackson has been a fan for quite a while now, although it seems Tony Alves has not! Thanks for the note Tony but I'll keep a hold of mine! :-)

A bit more on this mornings news:

http://www.moneyam.com/action/news/showArticle?id=927023

And a piece from Thanh Nien Daily in Vietnam:

Thanh Nien Daily

Well done you guys who took GF's advice - am afraid I did not on this one - but I do like success stories

Baza

Cheers Baza. News out on the African deal:

Soco International PLC
25 August 2005

SOCO International plc

('SOCO' or 'the Company')



Participation in New License Area Offshore Republic of Congo



SOCO is an international oil and gas exploration and production company,
headquartered in London traded on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent of
the FTSE 250 Index. The Company has continuing interests in Vietnam, Yemen,
Libya, Thailand and the Republic of Congo with ongoing production operations in
Yemen.





The Company announces that its subsidiary, SOCO Exploration and Production Congo
('SOCO EPC'), has signed a production sharing contract with Societe Nationale
des Petroles du Congo ('SNPC') wherein it has acquired an interest in the Marine
XI block, offshore the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville). SNPC was confirmed as
licensee of Marine XI by an 18 July 2005 Presidential decree.



SOCO EPC will be the operator with a 75% working interest in the block. The
exploration and production branch of SNPC (15%) and AFRICA OIL & GAS CORPORATION
(10%) hold the remaining interests. The block, located in the Lower Congo Basin,
is in shallow water adjacent to the coast with water depths ranging up to 110
metres and covers approximately 1, 400 square kilometres. There has been
previous exploration activity on the block resulting in four small oil
discoveries, the largest of which has initial recoverable reserves estimated to
be in the 20 million barrel range.



The previous discoveries are in the shallower horizons of the sedimentary
section in Marine XI. The deeper section, productive onshore and on trend to
the south in Cabinda, has not been adequately evaluated as it could not be
accurately mapped using older seismic data. By employing the modern seismic
techniques that the Company successfully applied in Vietnam to map the Basement
reservoir, SOCO EPC expects to exploit the potential of the deeper section. As
exploration in West Africa moves into ever deeper waters, the application of new
technology provides access to significant reserve potential in underexplored
shallow water areas


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

'We are extremely pleased to be participating with SNPC in this very prospective
block. In our view, Marine XI offers the same potential for exponential
exploration reserve growth that we are currently demonstrating in Vietnam and
Yemen. We are pleased to have Marine XI as one of the cornerstones of what we
expect to become an important new core area for SOCO.'





25 August 2005



ENQUIRIES:


SOCO International plc
Roger Cagle Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Financial Tel: 020 7747 2000
Officer


Pelham Public Relations
James Henderson Tel: 020 7743 6673
Charles Vivian Tel: 020 7743 6672






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

From tonight's UK-Analyst email:

"Oil and gas explorer Soco International announced that it had signed a production sharing contract with Societe Nationale des Petroles du Congo (SNPC). The stock fell 8p to 750p. Soco said it had acquired an interest in the Marine XI block, offshore the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville). SNPC was confirmed as licensee of Marine XI by a Presidential decree in July. The company's Congolese unit will be the operator of the block with a 75% working interest. "

I note all the players we know have moved on or slimmed their portfolio's.

I have thought the same for a while that it may be time to take my 50%, and that is what I will do when the spread closes a bit.

My small holding has done excepionally well, coupled with Hardman and Sterling I am well pleased.

Pressure is off for the rest of the year and I can let the kids continue to get in the way of this for the rest of the holiday.

Good luck you long termers.