Topic: How To Invest

Pat: Can I have your thoughts on Triangle Petroleum? It’s deep in the U.S. Bakken play.

Article Excerpt

Triangle Petroleum, $6.79, symbol TPLM on the American exchange (Shares outstanding: 44.4 million; Market cap: $310.5 million; www.trianglepetroleum.com), is a relatively new oil and gas explorer in the Bakken shale and Three Forks regions, which are located in North Dakota’s Williston Basin. Triangle has acquired 86,000 acres of exploration properties in the area. The company also operates RockPile Energy Services (an oilfield services firm) and Caliber Midstream (a joint venture that installs pipelines for crude oil gathering and processing). Triangle’s production now stands at roughly 3,300 barrels of oil per day. This year, it aims to raise its output to at least 3,600 to 4,000 barrels of oil and oil equivalent (including gas) per day. To do that, it has increased its exploration and development budget to $245 million in 2013 from $190 million last year. That will let it bring in a third drilling rig this April. The increased production could push the company’s cash flow per share as high…