(Business Edge columnist Gyle Konotopetz regularly profiles the top stock picks of some of Canada's most accomplished investment pros.)

FEATURED PRO: Andrew Boland is managing director of research for Peters & Co. (www.petersco.com), a Calgary firm that specializes in the oil and gas industry.

Boland's Energy View: "It's a choppy market right now, partly because the broad equity market is a little concerned about rising interest rates. Investors are a little hesitant about what sort of (commodity) prices the economy can sustain. Quite frankly, the catalyst will be the arrival of cold weather on the East Coast or in the central part of the continent.

"I believe that going into a winter where you've got a lot of cost pressures in the system, you've got to focus on the names that you're confident are going to give you good returns."

Peters & Co. 2006 Average Commodity Price Forecast: Oil - $65 US; natural gas - $10.75 US mcf.

First Star

* Duvernay Oil Corp. (TSX:DDV)

* Recent Price: $42.25.

* 52-Week Range: $16.63-$43.

* Boland's Call/12-Month Target: Sector Outperform (top rating at Peters & Co.)/$55.

* Snapshot: Duvernay is an oil and gas company with its primary focus on the deeper western portion of the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and northeastern B.C.

* CEO: Michael Rose.

* Head Office: Calgary.

* Vital Stats: Current Price/Earnings Ratio, 75.4; Revenue (last 12 mos), $133.4 million; Earnings (last 12 mos), $28.4 million; Market Cap, $2.02 billion; Shares Outstanding, 47.8 million.

* Boland's View: "Duvernay has two large gas areas with multiple years of inventory from stepouts and infills. In both of those areas, they control the facilities and therefore have a very competitive low-cost structure. And then layered on top of that they have a pretty exciting exploration program that could deliver production volumes above average expectations. So they have steady growth from their core areas as well as upside associated with a high-impact exploration program. They are also focused on growth through the drill bit."

* Web Watch: www.duvernayoil.com

Second Star

* Rider Resources Ltd. (TSX:RRZ)

* Recent Price: $17.94.

* 52-Week Range: $5-$20.80.

* Boland's Call/12-Month Target: Sector Outperform/$27.

* Snapshot: Rider is an oil and gas company with five key properties in west-central Alberta - West Pembina, Ferrier, Sunchild, Edson and Waskahigan.

* CEO: Craig Stewart.

* Head Office: Calgary.

* Vital Stats: Current Price/Earnings Ratio, 41.7; Revenue (last 12 mos), $80.3 million; Earnings (last 12 mos), $19.4 million; Market Cap, $811.46 million; Shares Outstanding, 45.2 million.

* Boland's View: "They've got three main areas in the deeper part of the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, all with a gas focus but quite liquids-rich gas. They have a nice balance between conventional high-deliverability reservoirs and non-conventional type of gas reservoirs. They've managed to deliver steady growth over the last year and look like they're going to continue to deliver growth into next year as they gain greater control of the timing for that growth with expanding their facilities in their key areas.

"In addition, they have fairly predictable growth and exposure to a pretty exciting exploration program for both liquids-rich gas and light oil in the West Pembina area. Like Duvernay, they also rely on growth through the drill bit."

* Web Watch: www.riderres.com

Third Star

* Cyries Energy (TSX:CYS)

* Recent Price: $15.35.

* 52-Week Range: $6.50-$18.40.

* Boland's Call/12-Month Target: Sector Outperform/ $24.50.

* Snapshot: Cyries is an oil and gas company that derives about 90 per cent of its production from the deep basin and Peace River Arch areas of northwestern Alberta.

* CEO: Don Archibald.

* Head Office: Calgary.

* Vital Stats: Current Price/Earnings Ratio, 41.7; Revenue (last 12 mos), $11.4 million; Earnings (last 12 mos), $1.6 million; Market Cap, $409.29 million; Shares Outstanding, 26.7 million.

* Boland's View: "Cyries likes to combine acquisition growth with drill-bit growth. They made a couple of key acquisitions in the summer that set up the inventory for this winter and into the winter of '06 and '07. We think they've taken a bit of a different approach by diversifying between five different areas. Some of those areas are less competitive than their main core area in the deep basin. Yet, we think what they lose by spreading themselves out they'll gain on better capital efficiencies because of the lower level of competition."

* Web Watch: www.cyries.com

* Overview Comment: "I would describe none of these companies as takeover targets today, but if we're still in a high-price (commodity) environment coming into '06, it is conceivable that at least a couple of them end up converting into income trusts."

Boland's Edge Record (three picks, past 12 mos): +62.4 per cent. Best Pick: Rider Resources (TSX:RRZ) +69.9 per cent. Worst Pick: Cyries Energy (TSX:CYS) +55.1 per cent.

Disclosure: Boland does not personally own shares in the featured stocks. Peters & Co. has done financings for Duvernay Oil and Cyries Energy.


(This feature is provided for information purposes. Investors are advised to do their own research or consult a qualified investment professional before making investment decisions.)