Which Country Exports the Most Oil to America, Eh?

The next time you're pumping gas into your car, ask the person at the next pump where he or she thinks the oil came from. Odds are good they'll mention some far-flung desert nation like Saudi Arabia or Iraq...and they'd probably be wrong. Canada is the top exporter of oil to the United States, hitting a total of 2.1 million barrels of crude oil per day in January 2011, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Energy. Considering the oil market, and the important role that oil prices play in the American economy, it might behoove a savvy investor to investigate some Canadian oil companies at or near the top of their game. Suncor Energy SU is one of the top oil companies in Canada, with a reported 7.2 billion barrels of proven reserves. Suncor has a market cap of just under $68 billion. On the day, Suncor's stock is up $0.56 to $43.22, a gain of 1.31% on the day. Canadian Natural Resources CNQ is another large Canadian oil company worth watching. CNQ paid out a dividend on its common share of nine cents canadian, a twenty percent increase from last quarter. On the day, CNQ is up $0.25 to $45.35, a gain of 0.55% on the day. Cenovus CVE is a Canadian oil and natural gas company that features oil sands projects in northern Alberta, which use specialized methods to drill and pump the oil to the surface. On the day, Cenovus is up $0.15 to $36.71, a gain of 0.41% on the day. Encana ECA is one more Canadian energy stock to consider. Although Encana is more focused on natural gas, they also set a goal to double production per share over the next five years. If they can hit anywhere near these targets, they might make an interesting play. On the day, Encana is up $0.15 to $32.66, a gain of 0.46% on the day.