The tragic Deepwater Horizon oil
spill in the
Gulf of Mexico
could give Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM)
the opportunity to become the operator on many of its offshore joint venture
projects on advantageous terms that will add value to the company through
larger equity stakes in exchange for handling operations, says Fadel Gheit,
analyst at Oppenheimer & Co. The oil giant will benefit thanks to "its
best-in-class" safety culture, he adds. Exxon's shares were 31 cents up to $59.25.