These Oil and Gas Stocks Will Benefit from Libya’s Es-Sider Opening

The largest oil (NYSEARCA:USO) port in Libya, Es-Sider, is poised to restart loadings, which would remove the biggest barrier blocking a return to normal exports after the end of civil war, said the country’s oil chief on Thursday.

The port opening will stand to benefit the largest companies depending on Es-Sider in Libya. These companies include ConocoPhilips (NYSE:COP), Hess (NYSE:HES) and Marathon (NYSE:MRO).

Es-Sider loaded 447,000 barrels a day in January 2011, according to the International Energy Agency, before becoming Libya’s most heavily damaged terminal during the civil war. In related good news, Libya’s oil minister Abdurahman Benyezza said OPEC has “a ‘gentlemens’ agreement to accommodate the country’s crude oil as production recovers.”

Here’s how these stocks finished the year:

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP): COP shares recently traded at $72.87,. They have traded in a 52-week range of $58.65 to $81.80. Volume today was 4,633,164 shares versus a 3-month average volume of 8,525,000 shares. The company’s trailing P/E is 9.35, while trailing earnings are $7.80 per share.

Hess Corporation (NYSE:HES): HES shares recently traded at $56.80, up $0.33, or 0.58%. They have traded in a 52-week range of $46.66 to $87.40. Volume today was 1,902,840 shares versus a 3-month average volume of 3,760,300 shares. The company’s trailing P/E is 10.13, while trailing earnings are $5.61 per share.

Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE:MRO): MRO shares recently traded at $29.27, down $0.03, or 0.1%. They have traded in a 52-week range of $19.13 to $54.33. Volume today was 5,949,982 shares versus a 3-month average volume of 7,345,470 shares. The company’s trailing P/E is 6.74, while trailing earnings are $4.34 per share.