Gulfport Energy Corporation (GPOR), SandRidge Energy Inc. (SD), Ultra Petroleum Corp. (UPL): Three Interesting Energy Stocks to Buy Now

Oil and gas producers are spending billions to take advantage of the vast resources they’ve been able to unlock thanks to horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. The large list of companies, and therefore the potential investment opportunities, can make it difficult to determine which company is worthy of your investment dollars. I’ve found three companies, each with a specific catalyst, that make interesting energy stocks to buy right now.

Gulfport Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:GPOR)
While many of its peers are talking about wanting to increase liquids production, Gulfport Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:GPOR) is already there. Last year oil and natural gas liquids were 93% of production and the company is levered to some of the most prolific liquids plays in the country. The problem is that the play that Gulfport is most levered to, the Utica, has lost its allure with other producers. Several of these peers, including Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK) and Devon Energy Corp (NYSE:DVN), have decided to pull back on the Utica after being disappointed by the lack of oil coming out of the play.

Gulfport Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:GPOR) on the other hand has found the liquids sweet spot and sees it being a catalyst for production growth. The company has drilled some of the best wells in the play and because of that it is now spending nearly $500 million of its $580 million capital budget to further develop its acreage there. Gulfport Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:GPOR)’s success in the Utica, combined with the rest of its high-margin oily assets, makes it a very interesting stock to buy.

SandRidge Energy Inc. (NYSE:SD)
Like Gulfport Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:GPOR), you can pretty much sum up SandRidge Energy Inc. (NYSE:SD)’s future by its focus on one play: the Mississippian Lime. Like the Utica, the Miss hasn’t turned out to be as oily as producers like Devon Energy Corp (NYSE:DVN) and Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK) would have liked, which is why both have recently sold some acreage in that play. However, SandRidge Energy Inc. (NYSE:SD), like Gulfport Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:GPOR), has found a position in a play that it likes and is investing heavily in that play to grow production.

Source: SandRidge Energy