|
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|
Environmental groups are suing to reverse a regulator's decision on Sable's pipeline.
This came one trading day after that regulator approved the system's restart.
Investors were hardly turned on by Sable Offshore (NYSE: SOC) on the last Friday trading session of 2025. On news of a lawsuit that might halt the oil flow through its pipeline system, they aggressively sold out of the energy company, leaving it with a more than 13% loss in price on the day.
Sable was quite a roller coaster of a stock before and after Christmas Day. On the 24th, investors couldn't get enough of it, following a federal regulator's approval of the restart of the Las Flores pipeline system in California.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks »
Image source: Getty Images.
That regulator, the Department of Transportation's (DoT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), recently ruled that sections of the pipeline fell under federal, rather than state, oversight.
This infrastructure has a troubled history, as in 2015, over 100,000 gallons of oil spilled from the system, with more than 20,000 gallons ending up in the Pacific Ocean. At the time, Las Flores was owned by Plains All American Pipeline.
On Friday, environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, filed suit in a federal appeals court in California to challenge the PHMSA's decision. They are seeking an emergency stay of the order to halt the restart.
Neither Sable nor the DoT has commented on the lawsuit yet.
It isn't all that surprising that a lawsuit would arise from the PHMSA's move. The ruling that the federal agency now has oversight of Las Flores feels sudden and is in line with recent federal government moves to have more influence on certain sectors of the nation's economy, notably the energy industry.
I think this is a fight that could drag on for some time, as jurisdictional disputes often prove difficult to untangle. I don't think Sable has a clear advantage here, so I'd avoid the stock for now.
Before you buy stock in Sable Offshore, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Sable Offshore wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $504,994!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,156,218!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 986% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 196% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of December 26, 2025.
Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
| Dec-26 | |
| Dec-26 | |
| Dec-26 | |
| Dec-26 | |
| Dec-24 | |
| Dec-24 | |
| Dec-23 | |
| Dec-23 |
Sable Offshore Surges On Pipeline Permit; Phil Mickelson Still Under Water
SOC
Investor's Business Daily
|
| Dec-23 | |
| Dec-22 | |
| Dec-18 |
Sable Offshore Stock Soars as Trump Administration Boosts Oil Project's Prospects
SOC
The Wall Street Journal
|
| Dec-17 | |
| Dec-15 | |
| Dec-14 | |
| Dec-12 |
Join thousands of traders who make more informed decisions with our premium features. Real-time quotes, advanced visualizations, backtesting, and much more.
Learn more about FINVIZ*Elite