"Schlumberger Limited (SLB) is the world's leading oil services company, assisting in exploration, production and most other oil services; its operations include being a leader in applying proprietary technologies to extract hard-to-extract oil and gas," says Michael Shulman.

The editor of The Short-Side Trader suggests, "Let's ask ourselves the following question: Over the next year is the there going to be more, less or an equal demand for oil? The answer is clearly more demand.

"Another question: Over the next year is there going to be more, less or an equal supply of oil?

"Oil had a good year in 2010, rising 15 percent, and 2011 looks to be even better, as a stronger global economy pushes demand for resources higher," says Stephen Leeb.

The editor of The Complete Investor explains, "Oil service and equipment companies are the most leveraged way to play rising oil prices. Here's a look a Schlumberger (SLB) and National Oilwell Varco (NOV).

"First is Schlumberger, operating in more than 80 countries. The company is the world's leading supplier of energy technology, project management, and information solutions.

"Many of the best opportunities lie outside the major indices, where a myriad of good stocks can fly under the radar. In fact, isn't a member of the S&P 500 or the Dow," says John Reese.

The editor of Validea explains, "Atwood Oceanics (ATW), a Houston-based offshore oil drilling firm, gets strong interest from both my Benjamin Graham- and Peter Lynch-inspired strategie.

"With a $2.4 billion market cap. Atwood has been a big winner for one of my most stringent -- and most successful -- strategies, the model I base on the writings of the late Benjamin Graham.

"Seadrill (SDRL) is the best-placed contract driller in my coverage universe," says energy sector specialist Elliott Gue.

The editor of The Energy Strategist explains, "The company doesn't produce or explore for oil and natural gas; rather, it is in the business of owning drilling rigs that are leased out to major producers for a daily fee known as a day rate.

"There are three major reasons to buy Seadrill. First, the company has the youngest and most advanced fleet of drilling rigs of any of the major contractors.

Oil recently traded at $91.00 per barrel and many analysts are looking for $100 per barrel. Against that backdrop, global oil companies are ramping up exploration to record levels for 2011.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Barclays (BCS) estimates that spending on new wells, producing platforms and other energy infrastructure will total $490 billion in 2011, an increase of 11%.

"The disaster in the Gulf of Mexico is likely to have positive ramifications for Cameron International (CAM)," says energy sector specialist Elliott Gue.

The editor of The Energy Strategist explains, "The political fallout could usher in stringent regulations governing blowout preventers (BOP), subsea equipment and redundant safety systems on rigs.

"Such an outcome would be consistent with past experience in the energy industry. After the Exxon Valdez spill, the government pushed oil companies to use double-hull tankers and phase out single hulls.

"Brigham Exploration (BEXP) as onshore properties in the Gulf Coast, as well as in the Anadarko basin and West Texas; but the stock's performance and future growth prospects are heavily leveraged to the Bakken and Three Forks plays in North Dakota and Montana," says energy sector specialist Elliott Gue.

The editor of The Energy Strategist explains, "The company first began accumulating acreage in the Williston Basin in 2005, and the vast majority of its planned CAPEX is concentrated on the region.

"Most of Brigham Exploration's acreage and drilling activity has historically been in North Dakota, though the firm is drilling wells to establish the value of its acreage in eastern Montana.

When you are in a hole, stop digging -- no expression better exemplifies the situation in Venezuela caused by Hugo Chavez and his government. Obviously, this is not something they understand, as the current administration keeps digging the Venezuelan economy into a deeper hole, intensified by its attempt to nationalize rigs owned by a U.S.-based company.

On Wednesday, Venezuelan Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez issued a statement that Petroleos de Venezuela SA, the state oil company, was going to nationalize 11 oil rigs owned by Helmerich & Payne, a Tulsa, Oklahoma-based drilling company.

In his Validea newsletter, John Reese assesses stocks using specialized screens based on the stated criteria of legendary stock market investors.

One such screen -- which has resulted in his best-performing model portfolio -- is based on the value-oriented investment strategy of Benjamin Graham.

Here, he looks at oil services firm Tidewater (TDW), which scores 100% on his Graham-style model.

Oil driller stocks have long been a favorite of hedge funds (and Karen Finerman of "Fast Money") and something of a proxy for expected movements in oil prices. During the huge oil spike last year, the Oil Service HOLDRs (ETF) (NYSE: OIH) Oil Services ETF shot the moon. Buyers bid up issues of the underlying companies based on expectations that persistent oil prices in excess of $100 per barrel would make exploration and extraction of hard to reach deposits financially viable.

"We see smooth seas ahead for deepsea driller Oceaneering International (NYSE: OII)," says Richard Moroney.

The editor of the blue chip advisory, Dow Theory Forecasts, explains, "Most of the world's untapped oil reserves lie under the ocean floor, and oil producers are spending an increasing portion of their capital budgets on deepwater drilling."

"While oil prices don't directly affect Oceaneering International's profits and cash flows, they do move the stock. Oil prices fell by two-thirds in the second half of 2008, pushing Oceaneering shares under $20 for the first time since July 2005.

"Long term, supply remains the key issue to watch in the crude oil market; depressed prices continue to force producers to scale back on exploration and development spending," says energy expert Elliott Gue.

In The Energy Strategist, he says, "I watch oil service giant Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB) as a gauge of overall health in energy markets; it has its hands in just about every imaginable oil- or gas-producing market on the planet."

"Schlumberger's fourth quarter earnings release and conference call were far and away the most bearish from the company in at least five years.

"CEO Andrew Gould was notably downbeat, particularly during the analysts' question and answer (Q&A) session. Predictably, earnings estimates have plummeted since that call.

"Valuations for even the best-placed, most well-established companies in the energy space are sitting at levels unseen since the late 1990s when oil prices collapsed to around $10 per barrel," says energy sector specialist Elliott Gue.

Here, the editor of The Energy Strategist looks at Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB), noting, "The firm active in just about every imaginable market and I regard the company as a top-notch indicator of ongoing trends in the oil services business."

"It's clear that there's been some slowing in demand, and the credit crunch has had an impact on the fundamental business. But the reaction in the stock market over the past three months goes well beyond even a worst-case scenario.

"Bottom line: Many energy-related stocks are pricing in a severe recession and recent action in the broader markets is reminiscent of sentiment characteristically seen near market lows. The short-term outlook for the energy patch is much better now than it was during the bear market in 1998 and 2002.

"I regard Schlumberger as a top-notch indicator of ongoing trends in the oil services business and, more broadly, international oil and gas drilling activity. I always pay close attention to what Schlumberger has to say in its conference calls and, as usual, this quarter's call was instructive.