Oil and natural gas are quickly becoming more expensive to find and produce around the globe. For 2013, the likes of Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Royal Dutch Shell are all planning to spend more than $35 billion in capital expenditures in an attempt to keep their reserve replacement levels above 100% of production. Investors hoping to capture some of this record spending in a less risky atmosphere might turn to some of the more investor-friendly service companies that pay dividends and are well diversified geographically -- including the ones mentioned in the following video.
Drilling conditions are becoming more and more risky, but investors need not go there.
About the Author
Taylor Muckerman was lead energy & materials analyst for fool.com from 2012-2013. He is now Head of Retention for Motley Fool Canada.