Top 10 Best Oil Companies | 2017 Ranking | Top, Biggest and Largest Oil Companies

2017 RANKING & REVIEWS
TOP RANKING OIL COMPANIES AND THE BIGGEST OIL COMPANIES

The Outlook for Top Oil Companies

At the start of this year, there was an increased focus on the world’s biggest oil companies, not just from a political perspective, but also in terms of the economy and potential investment opportunities.

Last year was a year where stock prices for the top oil companies were on a serious decline, and the entire industry was seeing cutbacks and layoffs for employees. Most analysts agree, however, that this year is likely going to be a different year for the major oil companies.

Some of the factors impacting the biggest oil companies and the entire oil and energy industry this year include:

• New technologies are likely to make it easier for the largest oil companies to do business around the world, and in a more efficient way
• Production is anticipated to go up in response to gas prices, which are also expected to rise
• While many big oil companies filed for bankruptcy last year, most professionals looking at the industry are saying that, rather than layoffs, the remaining oil companies will be steadily hiring
• With a Republican administration in office, many in the oil industry feel the regulatory and political environment will be more favorable to oil and natural gas
• Along with the impact felt in the sector itself, some analysts believe locations where oil companies will be hiring employees will also see strengthening in their economies and an overall greater demand for consumer goods

While the above are only projections, there are few if any analysts who believe this year won’t be a much stronger year for oil companies and the oil industry than last year.

Award Emblem: Top 10 Best Oil Companies

It’s for this reason that many investors are looking toward the top oil companies to find opportunities in the new year.

The following is a ranking and review of the top 10 oil companies based on revenue, assets, and estimated value. This ranking of the biggest oil companies doesn’t just focus on U.S. companies but also includes the top oil companies in the world.

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AdvisoryHQ’s List of the Top 10 Best Oil Companies

List is sorted alphabetically (click any of the oil company names below to go directly to the detailed review section for the best oil company):

• BP
• Chevron
• ExxonMobil
• Gazprom
• Lukoil
• Petrobras
• PetroChina
• Rosneft
• Royal Dutch Shell
• Total

Top 10 Best Oil Companies | Brief Comparison

Detailed Overview of What to Consider When Investing in Oil Companies

Depending on a wide variety of scenarios and factors, investing in oil companies and the oil industry can be profitable, but it can also be complicated and volatile.

Image Source: Pexels

The following are some of the forces that affect the oil industry and should be understood by individual investors as they consider putting their money in the stocks of top oil companies.

Demand: Two primary organizations in the world predict demand and estimated prices for oil, and that is the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the International Energy Agency, so it’s important to follow their outlooks and analysis as an investor

Supply: As with any industry, with the oil industry, determining whether or not it’s a good time to invest requires that you consider supply versus demand.

There are international restrictions in some countries that may prohibit how much oil any one country can produce, but when these restrictions and regulations are altered or removed altogether, it can significantly affect the price of oil.

Politics: One of the biggest factors that determines the state of the oil industry is politics. During a Democratic administration, for example, there is likely to be more focus placed on renewable energy research and development, which may cause a decline in the price of the stocks of the major oil companies. On the other hand, with a Republican government, there is more likely to be money put toward the oil industry, as well as fewer regulations.

When you invest in the biggest oil companies and the oil industry as a whole, you can choose between investing in individual companies, or you can opt to invest in the sector through mutual funds or ETFs.

AdvisoryHQ’s Selection Methodology

What methodology does AdvisoryHQ use in selecting and finalizing the credit cards, financial products, firms, services, and products that are ranked on its various top rated lists?

Please click here “AdvisoryHQ’s Ranking Methodologies” for a detailed review of AdvisoryHQ’s selection methodologies for ranking top rated credit cards, financial accounts, firms, products, and services.

Detailed Review – Top Ranking Best Oil Companies

Below, please find the detailed review of each of the biggest oil companies in the world on our list of the top oil companies. We have highlighted some of the factors that allowed these major oil companies to score so well in our selection ranking.

BP Review

BP Global is one of the world’s foremost oil companies, and it ranks as one of the world’s largest oil companies as well. BP describes itself as one of the top integrated oil and gas companies, and they provide customers with the fuel needed for everything from transportation to energy and heat.

BP operates in more than 70 countries and produces 3.3 million barrels of oil each day. BP employs around 79,800 employees and has access to 8,000 square kilometers of new exploration access.

Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Top 10 Oil Companies

Along with its size and ranking as one of the world’s largest oil companies, the following are specific features of BP that led to its inclusion on this list of the top 10 oil companies.

Company Profile

According to BP, they strive to be successful in the long-term and build a sustainable business model based on the concept of acting in the best interests of shareholders and partners, as well as society as a whole.

The business model of BP is expansive and includes every aspect of the oil industry, from exploration to marketing, and the portfolio of BP is one that’s spread across geographic boundaries, different businesses, and types of resources.

BP is organized into two primary areas of organization, which are Upstream and Downstream. Through these two areas of business, BP says it is able to not only produce energy but also development through exploratory and research-based activities.

The BP corporate brand includes several other brands within the larger organization. BP is the primary brand where much of the business takes place, but they also own and operate Castrol, which is a producer of motor oil and lubricants, as well as Aral, which is a line of fuel stations in Germany, and ampm, which are Western U.S.-based convenience stores.

Investor Information

Based on information from the Annual Report of BP in 2015, the following are key highlights that might be of interest to investors of BP or individuals who want to invest in the best oil companies and the biggest oil companies.

• BP had an operating cash flow of $19.1 billion for the year
• This best oil company paid $6.5 billion in dividends to shareholders

The most recently released quarterly report from BP shows net cash in 2016 for the third quarter at $2.5 billion, and during their most recent shareholder report, they showed a quarterly dividend of 10.00 cents per ordinary share paid on December 16, 2016.

The 3Q underlying replacement cost profit was $933 million.

Some of the things BP that affected the company during the third quarter of 2016 included weaker prices and non-cash items from the Upstream area of the business. Some of the beneficial things that affected the company’s stock during the third quarter of 2016 included lower cash costs and a one-time tax credit.

The strategy BP says it is currently pursuing involves the creation of defined priorities, active management of a quality portfolio, and putting value ahead of volume. They also work to expand their free cash flow and distributions in the long-term, which is beneficial to shareholders.

Image Source: BP

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Chevron Corporation Review

The Chevron Corporation is one of the biggest oil companies in the world, and along with ranking as one of the largest oil companies in the world, Chevron is also one of the top oil companies. Chevron strives to maintain sustainable, responsible operation while developing innovations and technologies to drive growth. The Chevron Corporation began as the Pacific Coast Oil Co. in September of 1879.

Since that time, the company has grown, changed, and expanded, and now much of the focus is on technology and its use in the oil industry and the energy sector. Chevron has led the way in deepwater exploration in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, and recent development projects have included more focus on these deep-water reservoirs.

Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Top Oil Companies

Some of the details of Chevron that led to its ranking as one of the biggest oil companies and one of the top 10 oil companies are highlighted below.

Company Profile

The Chevron Corporation falls into the overall industry of Integrated Oil, and it ranks as number seven on Forbes’s most recent list of the biggest oil companies, with an estimated enterprise value of $207 billion.

Much like BP, Chevron operates two primary areas of business: Upstream and Downstream segments. The Upstream portion of the business focuses on exploring, developing, and producing crude oil and natural gas.

The Downstream segment of this leader among top oil companies and major oil companies includes refining crude oil, marketing crude oil, and transportation.

Top destinations where Chevron is focusing energy and resources and leading the way among big oil companies include Gorgon in the Asia-Pacific region, Wheatstone in Australia, and Jack/St. Malo in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.

Major capital projects include heavy oil, deep-water, shale, natural gas, and liquefied natural gas.

Image Source: Chevron

Investor Information

For the current quarter, Chevron is reporting sales of $37.8 billion and earnings per share of $0.66. The majority of shareholders are mutual fund holders, and then other institutional investors.

Individual stakeholders make up a tiny percentage of total shareholders of the Chevron Corporation, one of the top 10 oil companies on this list of oil companies.

The company is led by Chairman and CEO John S. Watson, and Ronald D. Sugar serves as lead director.

Forecasts are showing the global demand for energy could increase by 1/3 by 2040, and with that in mind, Chevron is planning on working toward finding safer and more responsible ways to develop energy by putting resources into major capital projects.

These projects will focus on all available sources of energy, including not just natural gas and crude oil but also coal, renewables, and nuclear energy.

ExxonMobile Review

Based in the U.S., ExxonMobil has a history spanning 125 years. ExxonMobil began as a kerosene company marketing products regionally, and since then has grown to become one of the largest publicly traded petroleum companies in the world. ExxonMobil brand names also include Esso, and the company focuses on creating the energy products that do everything from drive transportation to lead to the creation of consumer goods.

ExxonMobil made news in 2011 with the announcement of major oil and gas discoveries in the deepwater off the Gulf of Mexico after drilling the first deep-water exploration well by the company. It is one of the biggest discoveries of its kind in the Gulf of Mexico in a decade.

Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Top 10 Oil Companies

ExxonMobil is included on this list of oil companies and is named as one of the biggest oil companies and one of the best oil companies for reasons listed below.

Company Profile

ExxonMobil cites itself as the largest publicly-traded international oil and gas company. Their strategy is built on the use of innovation and technology, which are developed to meet the energy needs of the world’s population.

ExxonMobil, one of the top oil companies in the world, is also one of the largest companies that integrates refining and marketing of not only petroleum products but also chemical products.

Management of this pick for one of the top oil companies and one of the largest oil companies includes Andrew P. Swiger, Darren W. Woods, and Michael J. Dolan.

ExxonMobil bases much of the work it does as one of the world’s largest oil companies on original research. The company has more than 2,200 Ph.D. scientists as employees, and there are around 5,000 total employees as part of their research and technology divisions globally. Every year, ExxonMobil says it spends around $1 billion on corporate research and development, and they were named as a top 100 global innovators by Thompson Reuters.

Investor Information

Corporate headquarters for ExxonMobil, one of the biggest oil companies in the world, is in Irving, Texas. According to shareholder reports, the annual revenue for last year was $236.8 billion, while the annual profit was $16.2 billion, which represents a net profit margin of 6.82%.

The majority of shareholders of this company, one of the major oil companies internationally, is almost evenly split between institutional investors and mutual fund holders.

The business model of ExxonMobil is focused on generating excellent cash flow and developing long-term value for shareholders.

Some of the key focus areas of ExxonMobil that may be important for investors to understand include their dedication to safe, environmentally-responsible operations and remaining competitive across all three business segments, which include Upstream, Downstream, and Chemical.

ExxonMobil also works to maintain a balanced portfolio based on quality, size, and diversity regarding projects, assets, products, and resources. Some key things make ExxonMobil not just one of the biggest oil companies, but also one of the top oil companies for investors.

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Gazprom Review

Gazprom is a Russian oil company and global energy company that works to establish itself as a leader in the international energy marketplace. The strategic business objectives at this leader among the world’s largest oil companies and top oil companies include creating reliable and efficient supplies of not only natural gas but also other sources of energy.

Gazprom works to diversify its sales market, and there is a big focus on reliability as well as scientific and technological advancements. Specific areas of focus with Gazprom, one of the top 10 oil companies in the world, include geological exploration, production, transportation, storage, and processing of gas. Also important to Gazprom is generating heat and electric power.

Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Top 10 Oil Companies

Specifics about the business of Gazprom and investor information that led to its inclusion on this list of oil companies are detailed below.

Company Profile

Gazprom’s full company name is Public Joint Stock Company Gazprom, and they are the holder of the world’s largest natural gas reserves. Gazprom’s company share in the Russian gas reserves is 72 percent, and globally it’s 17 percent. Gazprom is responsible for 11 percent of global gas output, and 66 percent of Russian gas output.

Gazprom supplies reliable gas not only domestically within Russia but to a variety of foreign markets, making it one of the biggest oil companies in the world. It sells to more than 30 countries, and it stands apart as the only producer of liquefied natural gas in Russia.

In addition to being one of the biggest oil companies in Russia and one of the top oil companies in the world, Gazprom also owns power-generating assets in the field of thermal energy. Gazprom is actually ranked as the number one generator of thermal energy.

The company is currently pursuing large projects in the Yamal Peninsula, the Arctic Shelf, Eastern Siberia, and the Far East in Russia.

Investor Information

With corporate headquarters in Moscow, Gazprom is leading the way as one of the top oil companies not only in Russia but as one as one of the big oil companies at an international level.

Last year’s annual revenue is reported at $97.3 billion, and the annual profit was reported at $12.8 billion, giving the company a net profit margin of 13.15%.

Stock prices are up more than 38% YTD, and according to CNN Money, analysts are recommending holding stock in Gazprom.

The ultimate strategy of Gazprom looking forward is to take advantage of Russia’s location to create what they call an “energy bridge” between European and Asian markets. They also hope to solidify their position as a key transportation service for other area producers.

According to Forbes, this leader among the world’s major oil companies and big oil companies was recently ranked as the number one biggest public oil and gas company, with an estimated enterprise value of $84.3 billion.

Lukoil Review

Lukoil Oil Company is another Russian-based oil company, and it’s currently ranked by Forbes as the number nine biggest public oil and gas company in the world. This pick for one of the biggest oil companies in the world has an estimated value of $36.2 billion.

Lukoil, one of the biggest oil companies in the world and one of the international top 10 oil companies, describes its mission as being to make natural resources into the energy that serves the interests of people. They say their focus is on responsibility and efficiency as they develop hydrocarbon fields.

Lukoil further describes its corporate goals as creating new value, maintaining a high level of profitability paired with stability, and bringing high returns for shareholders through increases in assets and cash dividends.

Image Source: Lukoil

Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Top 10 Oil Companies

Among the world’s largest oil companies, the following are features of Lukoil that set it apart and led to its inclusion on this ranking of the top 10 oil companies.

Company Profile

As mentioned in the introduction to Lukoil, one of the largest oil companies, their presence isn’t just significant in Russia, but throughout the world.

Lukoil was established in 1991 through the coming together of a group of oil and gas companies in the Western Siberian region. In addition to being one of the big oil companies, Lukoil also specializes in the sale and production of lubricants.

Lukoil has assets that account for 12% of all proved oil reserves in Russia, and 1% of the world’s total proved oil reserves. They have a strong presence in 63 regions in Russia, 35 countries, and four continents.

The overall business strategy of Lukoil, one of the big oil companies in Russia and the world, includes the following concepts and objectives:

• As one of the world’s largest oil companies on this list of oil companies, Lukoil makes it their mission to focus on both financial and operational efficiency and combat macroeconomic conditions that could prove to be obstacles.
• There is a focus on improving dividends paid to shareholders.
• Lukoil is one of the top ten oil companies for a number of reasons, including their dedication to upholding a high level of standards when it comes to corporate responsibility.Their focus going forward is not only on profitability but also on minimizing the environmental impact of their work and investing in environmental projects.

  Some of these projects include building new gas processing facilities and pipeline replacement.

Some of the ways Lukoil works to achieve strategic objectives and business goals include the building of an infrastructure based on research and development, operational planning, innovation, and partnerships with international entities.

Investor Information

First and foremost, investors looking at Lukoil should consider, even compared to other names on this list of oil companies, the intense focus on increasing dividend payments to shareholders. It’s that focus that many investors find appealing as they compare oil companies and look for investment opportunities in the oil industry.

As of December 2016, analysts from 10 key investment banks and firms have recommended investors buy Lukoil stock. This accounts for 63% of investment banks included in the analytical reports published on the Lukoil website. 31% of analysts from 5 companies recommend holding the stock, and only one company recommended selling.

The companies included in this roundup of analyst opinions include Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and more.

It’s these strong recommendations from independent analysts that led to the inclusion of Lukoil on this ranking of the top oil companies, in addition to the fact that it’s also one of the biggest oil companies.

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Petrobras Review

Petrobras is named as one of the largest oil companies, based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is an international leader among major oil companies, and products include not only petroleum and natural gas but also lubricant, petrochemicals, fertilizers, and biofuels. The Brazillian government owns Petrobras, one of the world’s largest oil companies. The company is ranked on the Fortune Global 500 list.

Petrobras has a history that spans 50 years, and this publicly-held company has a daily output of more than 2.787 million barrels of oil each day, with an equivalent of 13.3 billion barrels of oil in reserves that are proved. Petrobras operates 16 refineries, including three located abroad, and produces more than 2.026 million barrels of oil a day in those refineries.

Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Top 10 Oil Companies

Petrobras is included on this list of big oil companies and the world’s top 1o oil companies for many reasons, including the factors listed below.

Company Profile

As mentioned above, this Brazillian-based pick for one of the top oil companies and one of the world’s big oil companies is a publicly-held company that specializes in oil, natural gas, and energy production. They cover every aspect of the energy industry, including exploration, production, refining, marketing, transportation, and more.

More specifically, some of the activities of Petrobras, one of the biggest oil companies in the world, include:

• Oil and Gas Exploration and Production: Petrobras leads among the world’s top oil companies for deep-water exploration.They’ve reached pre-salt, which has expanded their deep-water activities and production.
• Oil and Natural Gas Refining: Along with 16 total refineries, including international refineries, Petrobras also invests in new units and technology related to refining.
• Biofuel Production: This Brazilian oil company, one of the biggest oil companies in the oil industry, participates in the biofuels market; two focus areas include turning sugarcane into ethanol and biodiesel from oilseeds.
• Transportation and Trade: Along with exploration and production, Petrobras, one of the major oil companies, is also involved with transportation and trade activities in the industry. They have an expansive network of pipelines and 60 vessels.

Investor Information

Petrobras is one of the most unique major oil companies in the world because they’re in the midst of significant global expansion. According to revenue reports from FY 2016, the company had revenue of 70,443.00 per share and a sales high of 34,099 million for the quarter ending in December 2016.

When looking at current analysts’ perspectives, the majority recommend buying or holding stock for Petrobras, based on reports from 10 investment banks.

In addition to a global presence in 19 countries and the potential for significant international growth, Petrobras is also an interesting prospect for investors because they have five biodiesel plants and ten ethanol plants in partnerships. Additionally, they own or lease 20 thermoelectric plants, one wind energy plant, and one voltaic solar power plant.

Petrobras is embracing both natural gas as well as renewable energy sources as they plan for the future.

They currently also have an estimated enterprise value of $132 billion and 725,447 shareholders.

PetroChina Review

Forbes ranks PetroChina not only as the biggest among the major oil companies in China but also as one of the world’s largest oil companies. PetroChina, according to Forbes, is the number four largest company among the biggest oil companies and has an enterprise value estimated at $303 billion.

This is considered the publicly-listed component of the state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation. It’s based in the Dongcheng District in Beijing and was founded in 1999.

Along with natural gas, PetroChina’s products include other fuels, lubricants, and petrochemicals. The corporate structure of this pick for one of the world’s largest oil companies and top oil companies includes shareholders, a board of directors, and committees that are part of that board.

Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Top 10 Oil Companies

Often ranked as a best oil company and one of the world’s top ten oil companies, the following are specifics about PetroChina, including corporate and investor information.

Company Profile  

Founded in 1999, PetroChina has one of the biggest sales revenues of oil companies in China and the world. It is a joint stock company established with the China National Petroleum Corporation. It’s listed on the New York Stock Exchange, as well as the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited and the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

Like the other companies on this list of oil companies that are the largest oil companies in the world, PetroChina covers every aspect of activities related to oil and natural gas. This includes exploration, development, production, refining, transportation, and the creation of petroleum-based products.

The primary objectives around which the business structure of PetroChina, one of the biggest oil companies are based include:

• Accelerated economic growth
• Improved self-innovation abilities
• Efficient methods of safety, conservation, and environmental protection

Investor Information

A lot of PetroChina’s resources are dedicated to exploration and development. The company has the exploration and mining rights to around 358 million acres, and they have about 980 wells under drilling. According to Reuters, the company produces around 8,520 million barrels of proved reserves of crude oil.

In addition, this company also refines crude oils and petroleum products for the production of petrochemicals and related products.

In general, the objectives of PetroChemical are defined as moving toward being a highly competitive international energy company.

This pick for one of the top oil companies has outlined a two-phase plan that will occur between now and 2020. During this plan the company will work on sustainable, rapid development projects, while also putting resources toward emerging energy businesses.

Phase two of their objectives will focus on expanding international operations and moving ahead in the rankings as one of the world’s largest and most significant oil companies.

Rosneft Review

Another one of the top oil companies included on this list of the top ten oil companies is Rosneft, which is, again, a Russian-based company. Forbes ranks Rosneft as number two on their list of the biggest oil companies in the world, only behind Gazprom. Their estimated value according to Forbes is around $72.5 billion.

The Russian Government is one of the biggest shareholders of this company, and Rosneft, one of the top oil companies in the world, has assets located not only in Russia but also throughout the world including Venezuela, Ecuador, Cuba, Canada, the U.S., Germany, Turkey, and more. Rosneft is not only one of the top oil companies in the world, but they’re also a leader among refiners in Russia, with ten major refineries.

Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Top 10 Oil Companies

Among the top oil companies globally and the biggest oil companies, Rosneft was included on this list of oil companies for reasons like the ones detailed below.

Company Profile

Along with being majority-owned by the government of Russia, Rosneft is an integrated oil company, and the businesses that are now affiliated with the company were first established in the 19^th century.

During the 2000s, Rosneft has been focused on expanding its international assets and development, and in 2009, Rosneft launched a commercial production facility at Vankor. That is ranked as the largest field in Eastern Siberia.

Vankor is the largest production project in all of Russia and is also one of the biggest projects in the world.

Also, Rosneft ranks as one of Russia’s Most Transparent Companies, according to Standard & Poor’s, and the company prides itself on having shown stability in situations like the global financial crisis.

Investor Information

As well as being one of the top oil companies in the world in terms of size, Rosneft is also a top pick among analysts for a stock to buy in the coming months. For example, based on monthly moving averages, it’s rated as a buy, and looking at monthly technical indicators, it’s frequently ranked as a strong buy.

The dividend yield currently is 11.75, and the one year change is up 57.47%.

Also notable for possible investors with Rosneft, one of the major oil companies in Russia and the world, is the fact that in 2015 the Board of Directors voted to approve a Dividend Policy that was designed to balance shareholder interests and business needs of the company.

Image Source: Investing.com

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Royal Dutch Shell Review

Royal Dutch Shell is also commonly just known as Shell or Shell Global. The company has humble beginnings dating back 200 years, and the headquarters of this, one of the top oil companies in the world, are in The Netherlands.

The company operates under the leadership of CEO Ben van Beurden, and the strategy of this pick for one of the top 10 oil companies is based on meeting global demands for energy in a way that’s sustainable and responsible in terms of safety, the environment and society as a whole.

Some of the major projects being worked on by Shell, one of the best oil companies in the world and also one of the biggest oil companies, include work on the deepest offshore oil and gas field in the world, as well as a liquefied natural gas production facility that’s the largest floating facility of its kind in the world.

Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Best Oil Companies

Shell is included on this list of oil companies and highlighted as one of the best oil companies and one of the largest oil companies for reasons highlighted below.

Company Profile

In 2015, Shell operated in more than 70 countries and had 93,000 employees on average. They produce the equivalent of 3.0 million barrels of oil each day, and this pick for one of the best oil companies has interests in 23 refineries.

Revenue in 2015 was $265.0 billion, while income was $2.2 billion, with $1.1 billion going to research and development.

Shell speaks about the fact that they spent $122 million on voluntary social investment throughout the world in 2015, including money spent on community development programs, education, disaster relief, health and biodiversity, and enterprise development and energy access.

Shell defines its company values as being based on concepts of a commitment to sustainable development, a healthy balance between short and long-term interests, and consideration of their economic, environmental, and social impact when decisions are made.  

Investor Information

Major Shell projects, one of the best oil companies and one of the world’s largest oil companies, include the following:

• Appomattox: Appomattox is a deep-water project in the Gulf of Mexico, and Shell, one of the top ten oil companies, has recently decided to move forward on the investments required for the project.
• Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Supply Projects: This project is actually a combination of four projects at the Nigeria LNG Plan on Bonny Island, as well as an independent plant in the Niger Delta.
• Pennsylvania Petrochemicals Complex: This project is based in the U.S., and Shell, one of the big oil companies in the world, has announced they are moving forward with it.This project includes the building of a plant that will process ethane from shale gas.  
• Athabasca Oil Sands Project: With this project, Shell is working the oil sands of Canada to find key energy resources.

These are just a few of the projects Shell, one of the best oil companies and one of the biggest oil companies in the world, have announced they will be moving forward with, which may be of interest to investors.

Ranked as number six on the Forbes list of the biggest oil companies in the world, Shell had an annual revenue last year of $264.5 billion, and a net profit margin of 0.73%.

Total Review

Based in France, Total is classified as one of the “Supermajor” global oil companies, of which there are only seven total. The business covers every aspect of the oil and gas chain. This includes exploration for crude oil and natural gas as well as refining, transportation, marketing, and power generation.

Total, along with being one of the top ten oil companies and one of the largest oil companies, also is a chemicals manufacturer, and is a top solar power company.

In the U.S., Total is responsible for being a top supplier based in Houston, with a Port Arthur, Texas refinery. Total also maintains manufacturing plants and operations around the U.S., including in North Carolina and New Jersey. Total maintains 100,000 people in more than 130 countries altogether.

Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Best Oil Companies

The reasons Total is considered not only one of the biggest oil companies but also one of the best oil companies and is included in this ranking of the top ten oil companies are cited below.

Company Profile

Total, a best oil company on this list of the world’s largest oil companies, has outlined the challenges and goals they hope to tackle over the next two decades as they strive to become the world’s leading producer of responsible energy.

These objectives include:

• Meeting the needs of a worldwide population that continues to grow and need energy that’s affordable and also meets environmental and safety standard and regulations
• Total highlights its mission to deal with climate change through its production and innovations
• Total also hopes to develop innovations that will allow them to promote responsible energy usage at the local level

This best oil company also specifically commits to safer, cleaner energy, and more affordable, value-creating energy.

Total, a best oil company and also one of the biggest oil companies, is governed by a Board of Directors with 12 members. The Board includes eight directors who are independent and one who represents the employees. The committees that make up the Board of Directors include Audit, Strategy, Governances & Ethics, and Compensation.

Investor Information

One of the unique things about Total as compared to some of the other major oil companies that has the potential to hold appeal for investors now and well into the future is their dedication to not just being a leader in the oil industry, but also their commitment to environmentally-friendly sources of energy and renewable energy.

According to Forbes, Total ranks as number 10 on the list of the top ten oil companies in the world size-wise, and the company has an estimated value of $136 billion.

The areas of business covered by Total are incredibly broad and include exploration and production, gas, renewables and power, refining and chemicals, trading and shipping and marketing and services.

Something else that might be of note with Total making it appealing to investors is the fact that they are the first of the major oil companies and the world’s largest oil companies to invest in Iran.

Conclusion—Top 10 Best Oil Companies and Biggest Oil Companies

There are many reasons investors are looking at the top oil companies and the best oil companies in the world.

2016 was a weak year for oil companies; it saw many of even the largest oil companies going bankrupt or having to enact significant layoffs. While it was a grim year for big oil companies, there is a lot of promise on the horizon, which is why many analysts feel now could be a good time to invest once again in the best oil companies.

Regardless of your investment plans, the above ranking of the biggest oil companies and the best oil companies covers the top ten oil companies in the world based on size and points out some of their business plans and objectives, relevant investor information, and their areas of focus. The above list of oil companies can be a good research resource for someone who’s contemplating investing in one of the big oil companies heading into 2017.