They are not going to crack this Oil Services HOLDRs (OIH) ETF. It's got too much going for it. There is a tremendous perception that this group and the oil and gas cohort have stalled or are finished because of the commodity futures and because of the nasty number from Exxon (XOM).

Second, drilling is all about when and where and why. We wanted to drill for deepwater oil because that's what you got paid for -- still do. But this time we have a natural gas boom, and that's huge for drilling, especially because we are no longer going to be flooded by cheap liquefied natural gas. That's great for Halliburton (HAL) and Nabors (NBR), which must be bought

Second, drilling is all about when and where and why. We wanted to drill for deepwater oil because that's what you got paid for -- still do. But this time we have a natural gas boom, and that's huge for drilling, especially because we are no longer going to be flooded by cheap liquefied natural gas. That's great for Halliburton (HAL) and Nabors (NBR), which must be bought

The Exxon quarter was about one tension: the need for Exxon to stop buying back stock and start drilling. That's something that has completely eluded Exxon, but not Apache (APA) -- another one that should be bought soon -- or Chesapeake (CHK) or Anadarko (APC). More drilling's coming.

The Exxon quarter was about one tension: the need for Exxon to stop buying back stock and start drilling. That's something that has completely eluded Exxon, but not Apache (APA) -- another one that should be bought soon -- or Chesapeake (CHK) or Anadarko (APC). More drilling's coming.

The Exxon quarter was about one tension: the need for Exxon to stop buying back stock and start drilling. That's something that has completely eluded Exxon, but not Apache (APA) -- another one that should be bought soon -- or Chesapeake (CHK) or Anadarko (APC). More drilling's coming.

Finally, never forget the words of Andrew Gould, the fabulous CEO of Schlumberger (SLB), who changed his view and said drilling is no longer in transition, it is now on fire.