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Flaherty Special Situation #20 UPDATED

Turnaround at Strategic American Oil Corporation (SGCA.OB)

Low-risk, state-of-the-art exploration and production recovery technologies focused on America's forgotten onshore properties loaded with thousands of "dead" oil and gas wells-uneconomic when oil prices were very low or once completely inaccessible-could spring back to life. A new 2.5 million barrel drilling prospect in Illinois. Under a new youthful turnaround CEO, Strategic American Oil Corporation (SGCA.OB) stock could increase 400% in two years. Also in this issue: Expose Part 9: Shareholder Democracy, The Invisible Man's Style. Fund.com Inc. (FNDMD.PK) performs a one for 120 share  reverse stock split and changes its fiscal year WITHOUT A SHAREHOLDER VOTE. Shareholders find out after the fact.

                                                 October 20, 2010, UPDATED  from July 2, 2010 


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in this issue
Expose Part 9: Shareholder Democracy The Invisible Man's Style.
Turnaround at Strategic American Oil Corporation
Disclaimer and Safe Harbor Statements
Follow Up: Expose Part 9; Shareholder Democracy The Invisible Man's Style 
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Bob Flaherty Rides Again! Welcome. Please join our financial family. To receive our next FREE issues of Flaherty Financial News and also Flaherty Special Situations simply go to our website www.flahertyfinancialnews.com and opt in as a reader. You can opt out any time too.

 

Follow Up: Expose Part 9; Shareholder Democracy The Invisible Man's Style.

Fund.com Inc. (FNDMD.PK) performed a one for 120 share stock split and changed its fiscal year with far less difficulty than most public companies. When we last left The Invisible Man's Fund.com (FNDM.OB) it was being delisted from the OTC Bulletin Board for being delinquent in its filings. It must still lack something on the Pink Sheets because it now has an extra D tacked on its new five letter symbol FNDMD.PK.


The surprises keep coming. On Oct. 1, after all the action had taken place, Fund.com Inc reported that on Sept. 27 it changed its articles of incorporation with the Secretary of State of Delaware so the board could  effectuate a one for 120 reverse stock split WITHOUT APPROVAL OF THE STOCKHOLDERS. On Sept. 30 they did the deed.

This means shareholders found out what had been done after it was done. Now that is the kind of shareholder democracy every CEO would have no trouble embracing.

And get this! On Oct. 13 the board changed the company's fiscal year, formerly December 31 to September 30, effectively immediately. Again, there was no shareholder vote. Happy New Year, shareholders. Your old year is over!

Meanwhile the reversed stock opened at $10 and on a few hundred shares trading dropped 50% to $5. Subsequently on token volume it has rebounded above $11.  

Meanwhile, down in Bermuda at The Invisible Man's other company GEROVA Financial Group Ltd. (NYSE:GFC-4.96) there has been no press release since the one in Sept. 7 indicating the stock would move up from the AMEX  to trade on the Big Board. No  news has come on a crucial overdue audit of the value underlying an acquisition-if it was an acquisition-the results of which may determine the survival of the company.

Shareholder anguish was evident in this recent shareholder 

message board posting: "When will we see audited number? Company has yet to release some news regarding its business, current cash flow /earnings to get some respect from The Street. This silence is killing stock price."
 

Now let us just swing for the fences again. This is our updated BUY report on Strategic American Oil Corporation. It  features an exciting entrepreneur, who is fresh from one turnaround which then was sold out from under him. He is eager to make his mark here. On Oct. 19, 2010 SGCA has just reported a new drilling target in Illinois with a possible potential of 2.5 million barrels. For a tiny company that is a big deal.  
 
The goal of a Flaherty Special Situation is a gain of 50% to 100% over two years. We believe patient investors can exceed such gains as the turnaround moves actually take place and outsiders realize the improvements ahead, like starting the first in house drilling, achieving critical mass by year end and expanding growth potential.
Over the years some of my best gainers have come from catching turnarounds early, often before they happened. I just studied the strategy and the new management in place and when I was right (which was often), investors who came along had a smile on their faces. "Prove it!" you think. Here are two oil and gas turnarounds I had early and in print. On Dec. 22, 2008 I liked Boots & Coots (NYSE:AMEX- then 1.03) and recently acquired by Halliburton for a gain of 187%. On Nov. 17, 2008 I liked unknown Pacific Asia Petroleum, Inc., now renamed because of its offshore Nigerian adventure CAMAC Energy Inc. (NYSE AMEX: CAK-then 0.95, recently 3.74) for a gain of 294%. Read on and see if you agree SGCA has what it takes to also be a new big winner!

 

 

Turnaround At Strategic American Oil Corp. www.strategicamericanoil.com  
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This experienced management team is focused on identifying, acquiring and developing existing onshore wells in the U.S. and expanding their production and reserves by applying modern methods and technology in research, development and production to bring back to life many of America's forgotten or dormant oil and gas wells. New Strategic American Corporation CEO, Jeremy Driver, not only understands this, but has utilized this understanding to lead a highly successful domestic turnaround with HDY Resources and is now in the midst of an encore performance with SGCA. With SGCA stock undervalued at $0.20 a share, management has the opportunity to raise 2 million barrels of oil in Illinois from its water flood projects there. On Oct. 19 SGCA also has reported a new drilling target in Illinois with a potential of 2.5 million barrels. And there are numerous other projects the company is developing in Illinois, Texas and Louisiana. The strategy is set, experienced management is in place, revenues are rising and critical mass and positive cash flow can be achieved in 12 months.    
 

By Robert J. Flaherty and Arnaldo Arroyo
 
July 2, 2010  Price:        $0.20                          Balance Sheet as of April 30, 2010
Market Capitalization:  $9.8 mil.                     Total Assets:                  $2.7 million
52-Week Range:            $0.44 - 0.18               Long-Term Debt:            None
Shares Outstanding:     49.1 million                Shareholders' Equity:   $2.4 million
Float:                                32.7 million                Book Value per Share: $0.05
 
 
Buy Recommendation
 

Many moons ago at Forbes magazine a wonderful editor changed the entire tone of a story by adding just a single word. After a writer had proclaimed a certain company "was turning around" the editor added "again." Years later when the company was acquired, the ailing operation was still turning around. Some companies are "always turning around." Most companies that lose money never do break into the black or become consistent money makers. That is why rich rewards await those who can pick out the few winners from the many also rans.

Fortunately there is a group of corporate knights who come on board and suddenly everyone catches their optimism. A strategic plan is created and losers suddenly feel like winners. Momentum and focus on growth begins and before you know it a real lasting turnaround has begun. People love low-priced stocks, but need to be reassured one has legitimate management and real goals. 
 
For this issue our BUY report on Strategic American Oil Corporation features an exciting entrepreneur, who is fresh from one domestic oil and gas turnaround which then was sold out from under him. He is eager to make his mark here and build lasting value. 

Outsiders will recognize the milestones ahead as each is achieved, like increasing revenues, the first in house drilling project which commenced in July, achieving positive cash flow and critical mass in 12 months, expanding reserve potential, making new discoveries like the new Illinois find and so forth.
 
The goal of a
Flaherty Special Situation is a gain of 50% to 100% over two years. We believe this stock can increase over two years from its recent $0.20 to $1 for a gain of 400%. Patient investors, if there are any left in this casino-like momentum-investing dominated stock market, can exceed such gains as the turnaround moves actually take place.

Why the Stage is set for a Turnaround at SGCA. 
 

Despite a weak economy and temporarily falling energy prices, Strategic American Oil Corporation, an early stage exploration and production company, has initiated a business plan that enabled it to weather the recent economic recession and further its goals of increasing production in 2010 with an eye toward becoming cash flow positive in 12 months. The tiny emerging growth company has foothold operations in Texas, Louisiana and Illinois. Management is highly knowledgeable about each of those areas. In a nutshell, SGCA's objective is to identify and acquire low risk/high reward oil and gas projects in the U.S. and by using modern technology develop those projects to their full potential.


As the BP deep drilling fiasco illustrates, offshore supplies will be more regulated and expensive to produce. Much of our energy comes from foreign suppliers where prices long term must rise because of the exploding demand from emerging Third World Powers like China and India. Our own alternative energy efforts are tardy and lack focus. This means recovering more energy from our existing domestic wells by applying modern technology and also finding additional domestic reserves should be a national priority. Long term, increasing global demand will lift energy prices even though there will be little valleys such as we are in now. 
Nationwide there are thousands of under-utilized or idle oil and natural gas properties which could be revived. Using a low risk strategy of partnering with others in development, a sizable company can be created. The trick is to buy properties where additional recovery and added reserves can be achieved at a bargain price.

"We're very cautious and do all of our due diligence and all our homework to make sure that what we're getting is a good deal and is a good use of our shareholder resources," says Strategic American Oil Corporation, President and CEO Jeremy Driver.
Since identifying good prospects is a very important part of its game plan, Strategic American Oil has put together highly experienced team of geologists, engineers and executives with extensive oil and gas exploration and production experience, especially in the areas of interest to SGCA. Notable veterans  include SGCA Chairman Randall Reneau, a geologist who also  has more than 35 years experience in the oil and gas industry in the U.S., Canada and Africa; Steven Carter, a registered engineer with over 25 years experience in the Texas oil and gas industry; Jim Thomas, a petroleum geologist with over 30 years of Illinois basin exploration and production experience; and John De Leon, a geologist with 20 years experience in oil and gas prospect generation and 3D seismic data interpretation.
Having joined SGCA in December 2009, Driver hopes to repeat the turnaround  success that he had when he was president of HDY Resources Corp., a domestic energy  subsidiary of Houston TX -based Hyperdynamics Corporation, (NYSE-Amex :HDY-2.90).  Driver led the turnaround of HDY's domestic subsidiary ultimately bringing it to profitability and later focusing on strategic acquisitions to increase acreage, reserves and daily production. "The domestic unit was bleeding money," says Driver. "There was zero production. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were going out the door every month. When I came in as president, I shut down some divisions, changed our focus, streamlined operations, brought in some new people and initiated turnkey ventures that enabled us to bring that subsidiary to a profitable situation. By the time I left, they were actually supplying cash to the parent company."
The unit was sold to provide capital for the parent to focus on its main emphasis of off shore drilling in West Africa. Driver also spent some time in West Africa where he gained valuable business experience working with governments and different aspects of overseas and offshore production.
Strategic American Oil completed an equity financing in October 2009 raising $2.5 million in proceeds. Part of the proceeds was used to eliminate SGCA's debt. Presently the company is committed to keeping debt low. It's really good if the company can continue that policy and still continue to grow, but the strategy is not written in stone. Driver admits that SGCA's strategy could change if the company is presented with a wonderful opportunity. Taking risks can bring rewards and young companies must be flexible.
At the moment, the company has under $1 million in cash and a burn rate of about $70,000 to $100,000 a month. Driver believes the company's current cash position is sufficient to maintain its development program. "We also hope to utilize the cash that we have to generate additional revenue so we can get closer to a positive cash flow situation and lower our need to go out and raise more money in the equity market," he says. He estimates that approximately 200 additional barrels per day in the production pipeline will enable the company to reach a positive cash flow stage and critical mass in the next 12 months. Even if the goal is missed by a month or so, investors should watch the trend, especially rising revenues, rather than be too specific on results this early.
Although it will eventually need to raise money to fund expansion, SGCA wants to initially build value without having to dilute the stock.
Indeed, keeping dilution in check is good management, especially for a startup venture like SGCA, which currently has a sizable number of stock options and warrants outstanding. During the nine months ended April 30, 2010, an aggregate of 2.7 million share purchase warrants were exercised for net proceeds of $638,450. As of the same date, SGCA had 8.6 million stock options and 23.5 million share purchase warrants outstanding. The outstanding stock options have a weighted average exercise price of $0.30 per share and the outstanding warrants have a weighted average exercise price of $0.42 per share. If these options and warrants were exercised in full, they would total proceeds of approximately $12.5 million.  
To grow prudently, SGCA has implemented a multi-tier, low-risk growth plan which includes developing salable drilling prospects in-house, retaining a carried interest to casing point and the drilling of offset wells retaining a majority of the working interest. It also includes developing secondary recovery, or water flood, projects and increasing production by reworking existing producing or previously producing wells. It is also focused on developing proven undeveloped zones in existing wells and acquiring currently producing oil and gas wells. In addition, SGCA looks to complete in-house 3D seismic projects.
The company has production in Texas and Louisiana and hopes to initiate production in Illinois this year.
Also in Texas, the company recently purchased the remaining 10% working interest in the Welder lease, giving it 100% ownership in the producing 81-acre lease.
In June, SGCA completed leasing the DST prospect in the Illinois basin, an area where oil and gas have been commercially produced for over 100 years. The company has identified two fields in the basin where it plans to introduce a water flood in 2010. Two fields, which date back to the 1940s, produced 1.3 million and 1.6 million barrels of oil in the past.
Water flood is a method of secondary oil recovery in which water is injected into the reservoir formation to displace residual oil. The water from injection wells physically sweeps the displaced oil to adjacent production wells.
"Some of the partners that we're hoping to work with have been able to see 80% or greater recovery rates from primary production in the Illinois basin," says Driver.
The Illinois basin provides the company with several economic advantages including low lease costs at $10 to $25 an acre, low royalty rate at 12.5% and shallow target zones of 2,000 to 4,000 feet.
Strategically, however, the DST prospect is a part of a broader effort by the company to create a package of drilling prospects ranging from lower risk offsets to higher risk step-out wells. This portfolio of wells will provide SGCA and its partners a relatively low cost/high reward portfolio of drilling locations in the heart of the Illinois basin.
"Putting 10 to 20 wells into a particular package and then selling that package as a whole to investors as opposed to marketing one individual well at a time is going to be a lot more attractive," says Driver. "It spreads the risk over 10 to 20 wells."
Recent calculations indicate that remaining mobile resources in the Illinois basin may be as much as 4.1 billion barrels, according to the Illinois State Geologic Survey. SGCA believes that it is possible for it to raise as much as 2 million barrels from its Illinois properties.
SGCA recently completed reworking the Dixon No. 1 well in Franklin Parish, La, and is achieving initial oil production. It plans to rework the Dixon No. 2 well as soon as weather and ground conditions allow.
 Besides restoring existing wells, SGCA hopes down the line to explore deeper prospects it believes exist in both LA and TX. But that will have to wait until resources are greater. First things first. 
  

Seized Opportunity
 

Business

Strategic American Oil Corporation is engaged in the exploration, acquisition, and development of oil and gas properties in the U.S. SGCA holds exploration properties in Texas, Louisiana and Illinois. To date, the company has approximately 395 gross developed acres and approximately 6,681 gross undeveloped acres pursuant to leases or acquisitions.


Drilling Activity

 

SGCA is currently preparing to drill at the aforementioned Koliba project and is seeking working interest partners to take the DST project to the drilling stage. In October SGCA entered into a partnership with Chinn Exploration Company to expedite the drilling of SGCA's 3D seismic prospect in Kenedy County in South Texas. Preparations for drilling of the first well have already begun.    
The company also completed five workovers of producing or previously producing wells on its leases in the Delhi South and Big Creek fields in Richland and Franklin Parishes, Louisiana. In addition, it participated in the side-track re-entry on the Janssen No. A-1 in Karnes County, Texas.
SGCA pays a monthly management fee to the operating companies that service its wells in Louisiana and Texas. Those service companies include Tradestar Energy, based in Hot Springs, Arkansas, which operates SGCA's producing wells in Louisiana; Carter E&P, LLC, based in Corpus Christi, Texas, which operate the Welder (Barge Canal) wells; and PROEX Energy Management Company based in Houston, Texas.
 
Strategic American Oil's Properties
 
Barge Canal, Texas 
 
In 2006, SGCA completed an assignment and purchase agreement with OPEX Energy, LLC, whereby it acquired a 100% working interest (90% after payout) and a 72.5% net revenue interest (65.25% after payout) in approximately 81 acres of an oil and gas lease (the Welder lease) in Calhoun County, Texas. At the time of the acquisition, the two wells on the Welder lease were producing assets. In January 2010, Strategic American purchased an assignment from Treydan Corporation for the remaining 10% working interest for a total cost of $70,000, bringing its ownership to 100% of the working interest.
Two wells are currently producing gas and oil from the property. The wells are operated using a gas lift system. A third well is utilized for salt water disposal. The wells have additional proven non-producing zones behind pipe. SGCA intends to develop the proved developed non-producing zones as current producing horizons deplete. 
 
Janssen Lease, Texas
             
Strategic American currently holds a 3% working interest on the natural gas producing Janssen project in Karnes County, Texas. It also holds a 5% non-promoted option to participate in any offset drilling within the leased area. ETG successfully completed the Roeder sand. Plus, the Janssen A-1 well is currently producing 250 to 300 million-cubic-feet of gas per day and approximately six barrels per day of condensate. 
 
Koliba Lease, Texas
 
SGCA has entered into to several lease agreements with certain mineral owners of a 79 acre tract (the Koliba lease) in Victoria County, Texas. It has also acquired an assignment of oil and gas leases on 64 adjacent and contiguous acres from Ensley Properties, Inc. This Assignment includes several leases with numerous mineral owners. The company paid $70,000 to Ensley Properties for this assignment. The property underlying these lease agreements is located near the Welder lease and has one shut-in oil/gas well. The well has proven oil and gas zones behind pipe. The well is in close proximity to SGCA's Welder gas sales line and salt water disposal system. The company entered into participation agreements whereby 75% of its working interest has been assigned to other parties. It will retain a 25% working interest in the completed well. The company is currently preparing to drill one as the Koliba #3, an offset to the former Koliba No. 1 well. 
 
Kenedy Lease, Texas 
 
Of a 1,203 acre tract in Kenedy County, Texas, Strategic American so far has leased over 86% of the mineral rights with additional leases pending. The Kenedy lease was initiated to potentially exploit a prospect identified through its recently acquired 3D seismic database. Bob Bennett, consulting geophysicist, stated of the prospect, "With more than 2 decades of experience exploring for oil and gas in South Texas with 3D seismic, I have never had the opportunity to discover or participate in a Frio structure such as this. These structures are usually cherry-picked by the major oil companies as drilling locations of choice. I believe this prospect has the potential to be a substantial new field discovery along this highly active trend." In October SGCA entered into a partnership and working interest with Chinn Exploration Company to expedite this prospect and preparations for drilling already have begun.   
 
South Delhi/Big Creek Field, Louisiana
 
In August 2006, the company paid $250,000 to Energy Program Accompany, LLC, to acquire the Holt lease, the Strahan lease and the McKay lease. Oil is being produced from Holt No.'s 10, 22 and 24 wells. Holt's No. 4 well is off-line pending workover or offset drilling. Holt's No. 15 well is utilized as a salt water disposal well. In addition, the Strahan No. 1 well is producing oil.  
 
Dixon Prospect, Louisiana 
 
Strategic American Oil has entered into a number of oil and gas leases with certain mineral owners of a 160 acre tract (the Dixon lease) in Franklin Parish, Louisiana. To date, the company has leased over 93% of the mineral rights. The Dixon lease had two temporarily abandoned oil wells and one currently permitted salt water disposal well, but the company has completed reworking of the Dixon  No. 1 well and is achieving oil production.  
The company also plans to rework the Dixon No. 2 well as soon as weather and ground conditions allow.  The Dixon salt water disposal well has also been reworked, including upgrading of pump, flow lines, and state inspection. In addition to the Dixon No. 1 and 2 wells, there are two possible offset drilling locations and potential for deeper targets. 
Once the Dixon No. 2 well is reworked and producing, the company will obtain an independent engineering report stating proven developed producing (PDP) reserves and net present value (NPV).  In addition, plans for the Louisiana fields include continuing to develop the shallow intervals while exploring the potential of deeper zones.  The current focus of Strategic American Oil's Louisiana development is acquiring leases with existing, low-producing wells at minimum cost and reworking them to produce at maximum potential. This method builds revenue through production and increases the company's core reserves at a fraction of the cost of purchasing established production.  
 
Markham City North, Oakdale NE, Donoho and DST Prospects, Illinois. Also a huge new 2.5 million potential drilling area identified on October 19, 2010.
 
SGCA holds a number of oil and gas leases in Jefferson County, Illinois. The leases total approximately 4,781 gross acres. Of that total, the company has a working interest of 100% and a net revenue interest of 87.5%. In 2010, SGCA plans to initiate a pilot water-flood program to test the reservoir characteristics of the Markham City North and Markham City Proper fields as well as gather more necessary data to fully exploit the remaining oil. The target depths do not exceed 4,000 feet.
There are numerous reasons why Illinois is so attractive to SGCA. "Water flood" is an oil extraction method where water is pumped into an injection well displacing the reservoir formation and forcing the oil into a recovery well. This method is used to recover additional oil in place following primary production methods.
Strategic American Oil has identified and begun leasing water flood projects which offer the company potential low risk long-term production in proven water flood areas. The company is currently evaluating and performing feasibility analysis on these targets.  Meanwhile, SGCA is also designing a pilot water flood operation for the initial Water flood Project, which, if proven, would be expanded into commercial operations.
The Illinois Basin is a mature oil producing environment with a production history covering over 100 years. This development history has generated a large database including records for more than 180,000 wells. SGCA is working to grow its reserves and accessing and analyzing these historic records minimizes cost while identifying exploration and historical production targets to meet that growth. To date the company has leased over 2,600 acres in Illinois through utilizing these records. Finding and leasing this water flood project demonstrates the value of these historic records and the company's expertise in managing those records.

On Oct. 19, 2010 Strategic put out a press release that it had identified a new drilling target which had a potential 2.5 million barrels of oil. This is huge in terms of a tiny turnaround. 
 
Management and Key Personnel
 
Randall R. Reneau has been Chairman and director since April 2006. Reneau is a certified professional geologist and holds licenses to practice geology in the states of Texas, Washington and Alaska. He has more than 35 years combined mineral and oil and gas experience both domestic and foreign.  From 1980 to 1988, Reneau served as president of Reneau Exploration and Development Company, which drilled and operated wells in Stephens County, Oklahoma and Navarro, Milam, Wilson and Guadalupe Counties in Texas. From 1988 to 1990, he was employed as a senior consulting geologist with Western Mining Corporation's Canadian subsidiary, Westminer Canada. His role at Westminer Canada included mineral exploration in West Africa. From 1990 to 1999, he served as principal geologist for Reneau and Associates, a Geo-Environmental firm.  From 1997 to December 2003, Reneau served as senior consulting geologist for AZCO Mining, Inc., managing exploration projects in Mali, West Africa and Sonora, Mexico. From December 2003 to December 2004, he served as chief geologist for Oromex Resources in Durango, Mexico. From January 2005 to July 2007, Reneau served as chief exploration officer and a director of Uranium Energy Corp., a uranium exploration company publicly traded on the American Stock Exchange. Reneau has a B.A. in Geology from Central Washington University and an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Kennedy-Western University.  
 
Jeremy G. Driver, 33 is President and CEO. Driver is an oil and gas operations and financial professional with a background in land-based E&P operations with public companies. Until 2008, Driver served as president of HDY Resources Corporation with operations primarily focused in Texas and Louisiana. He was able to lead the operational turnaround of that company and bring it to profitability. Since 2007, he has also served as president of KD Navigation, a private investment and holding company in Texas.  Driver previously served as an active duty officer in the United States Air Force, specializing in foreign intelligence as a Chinese Linguist. He holds a M.B.A. and M.S. in Accounting from Northeastern University, Boston, MA. He also earned a BS in Liberal Studies - Chinese Language from Excelsior College.
 
Steven L. Carter, 51, has served as Vice President of Operations since December 2006. Carter is a Registered Professional Engineer with 25 years of management and engineering experience in oil and gas exploration, production operations, reservoir management and drilling. From 1990 to 2003, Carter served as operations manager and operations engineer for T-C Oil Co., where he managed significant production, supervised drilling, provided economic evaluations and designed project workovers. In July 2003, he started Carter E&P, LLC, an independent oil and gas company, where he has worked to the present. Carter has a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
 
Johnathan Lindsay, 33, has served as secretary since July 2005. He also serves as CFO and a director. Lindsay was responsible for organizing initial financing for SGCA. From 2003 to 2006, he served as corporate secretary for Uranium Energy Corp., a uranium exploration company that is traded on the American Stock Exchange. From 1999 to 2004, Lindsay held the position of vice president, marketing and corporate secretary of Alan Lindsay and Associates. In 1997, Lindsay worked with the Investor Relations Group and for National Media, two North American public sector marketing firms. From 1998 to 1999, he studied marketing and business management at the British Columbia Institute of Technology.
 
Leonard Garcia, 59, is a co-founder and has been a director since April 2006 and has served as Land Manager since February 2006. In addition, Garcia served as president and CEO from April 2006 to August 2007. From August 2004 to the present date, he has also served as the Land Manager for Uranium Energy Corp. Garcia is an Independent Petroleum Landman with over 30 years experience in oil and gas title research, lease negotiations and acquisitions, contracts, exploration and production. Prior to August 2004, he worked under contract for various companies, including Harkins & Co., Sun Oil Company, Oryx Energy Co., Texaco, Monsanto Exploration and Production Company, Trans Texas Energy, Kerr-McGee Oil & Gas Corp. and Mestena Oil & Gas. Garcia attended the University of Texas-Austin, The University of Texas-Pan American and Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
 
J.N. "Jim" Thomas is Chief Geologist. Thomas came to the company with extensive Illinois basin exploration and production experience-more than 30 years. In addition to working as a petroleum geologist in the basin, he also obtained both his B.S. (1968) and M.S. (1973) degrees in Geology) from Southern Illinois University. In addition, he has significant E&P experience in South Texas. Previously, Thomas worked with several exploration and production companies, including Everest Exploration and Atlantic Richfield. 
 
John E. De Leon, Geologist, is part of the company's technical team. De Leon has over 20 years experience in drilling operations, environmental inspection, prospect generation, and 3D seismic data analysis. He previously worked under the tutelage of Bob Bennett, one of the most respected geologists in the field of 3D seismic analysis in Texas. Bennett continues to consult with the company on seismic analysis and will be working closely with De Leon. De Leon received his B.S. is Geology from Texas A&M in 1985. 

Finance
 
As an early stage exploration company, Strategic American Oil is just starting to generate significant revenues from operations. Revenue from oil and gas properties was $123,891 for the three months ended April 30, 2010 compared to $66,949 in the prior period. Operating expenses incurred during the three months ended April 30, 2010 were approximately $1.5 million compared to $690,358 in the prior period.
The company has under $1 million in cash and a current burn rate of about $70,000 to $100,000 per month. The key point is revenues are rising. Management believes that an additional 200 barrels per day of production would help it achieve positive cash flow and critical mass by yearend. It believes that increases in current production and possible acquisitions to add those 200 barrels per day are in the works. 

In August 2010 SGCA announced it had dismissed its former certifying accountant and hired Malone & Bailey PC of Houston, Texas.  
 
History
 
Strategic American Oil was incorporated in April 2005; the company was incorporated as Carlin Gold Corporation. In August 2006 the company began oil production with the acquisition of the Holt, Strahan and McKay leases in Franklin and Richland Parish, La. In November 2006, it completed the acquisition of the Welder lease in Calhoun County, Texas, which produces both oil and gas. Its largest potential currently is in Illinois where the potential of lifting 2 million barrels exists.  In September 2006, as opportunities appeared in new states, the company changed its name to Strategic American Oil. The company's current focus is low risk oil and gas exploration and development. It currently has operations in Texas, Louisiana and Illinois. In addition, SGCA owns 100% of Penasco Petroleum Inc., a Nevada corporation.
 
Competition
 
Every aspect of the oil and natural gas industry is extremely competitive and capital intensive, including the exploration for new production and the acquisition of equipment and labor necessary to conduct drilling activities. What's more, the oil and gas industry competes with energy sources such as coal, nuclear power and hydroelectric power for industrial, commercial and individual consumers. Right now, Strategic American Oil is a minor player in the industry and competes with many larger companies with greater financial resources, which have the ability to acquire smaller companies, among other key competitive factors.
 
Risks
 
America must realize the necessity to recover its own domestic energy resources more efficiently and elected leaders must pass laws which encourage not hinder growth. Unfortunately some politicians are doing exactly the opposite of what is needed at the moment. Strategic American Oil's future oil and natural gas production is dependent upon its ability to conduct successful exploration and development activities and acquiring additional properties containing proved reserves. There is always the possibility that SGCA may not be able to obtain additional proved reserves or be able to drill productive wells at acceptable costs. Since the business of exploring, developing or acquiring reserves is capital intensive. SGCA will have to raise a significant amount of money in order to make the necessary capital investment to maintain or expand its asset base of oil and natural gas reserves. Short term it is bootstrapping the effort. However, SGCA will have to demonstrate progress to outside investors so its share price rises to avoid serious dilution when it inevitably issues new shares. As the high volume of not only buyers, but sellers, indicates after the Oct. 19, announcement of the new 2.5 million oil potential drilling area in Illinois, there are many existing shareholders who are unhappy and must be cleaned out and replaced if the stock is to reach the $1 we believe is possible. 
 
CONTACT INFORMATION
Strategic American Oil Corporation
www.strategicamericanoil.com
600 Leopard Street, Suite 2015
Corpus Christi, TX 78473
Phone: (361) 884-7474
Fax: (512) 233-2531

Investor Relations
David Zazoff
ZA Consulting Inc.
116 West 23rd St., Suite 500
New York, NY 10011
(212) 505-5976
david@za-consulting.net 
 
And
Investor Awareness, Inc.
847-945-2222

 
Disclaimer and Safe Harbor Statements 
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Disclaimer: This Flaherty Special Situations Newsletter contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and actual circumstances, events or results may differ materially from those projected. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements and to supplement this newsletter with specific company SEC filings and their own research. Please be aware that there is risk in every company stock that you buy. Coverage or other mention of a stock in this newsletter is neither an offer nor solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. We are not investment dealers or investor advisers registered with the SEC or State Security Authorities. We do not guarantee all the information in this newsletter is correct or will be updated. Remember some errors are inevitable. Reproduction without written permission is forbidden. No individual at Flaherty Financial News Inc. is a shareholder of Strategic American Oil Corporation featured in this Flaherty Special Situation, and our policy forbids editorial from buying or selling a featured stock until this issue is out at least ten business days after its issue date of July 2, 2010 or its update on October 20, 2010. Flaherty Financial News Inc received $10,000 in cash for the use of this report  and our name by Creative Direct Marketing Group in their own promotions of Strategic.In cases where a report or profile is subsidized, readers should consider such subsidized articles as paid advertorials and understand that sponsored material will not be as objective as non sponsored editorial. As FNN editor I always reserve "Final Copy Responsibility" on what to include and what to leave out of every issue. We have tried to be objective, but may have failed. We are not security analysts or stockbrokers engaged in buying or selling, but financial journalists with all the many failings of that profession. You readers must decide the merits of each company yourself and whether to invest. -Bob Flaherty, Editor
 
Flaherty Financial News Inc. (FFN) and its newsletters Flaherty Financial News and Flaherty Special Situations are not registered as broker dealers or investment advisers with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any state securities authority. Our newsletters and their information and content providers make no representations or warranties of any kind in connection with the subject matter, performance or suitability of the information contained in the publications for any purpose and are not liable for the timeliness, accuracy or completeness of the information. The information is provided for general information purposes and is not a substitute for obtaining professional advice from a qualified person or entity familiar with your personal circumstances. Please seek the help and advice of professionals as appropriate regarding the evaluations of any specific security, report, opinion, advice or other content. FFN is not responsible for trades placed by recipients. All opinions expressed, information and data provided are subject to change without notice. FFN, its officers and its employees may have positions in and may from time to time make purchases or sales of the securities discussed or mentioned by FFN. (However, we will avoid front running and the buying or selling of any security about to be discussed until ten business days after our particular report is released to the public.) FFN shall have no liability for any newsletter that is lost, intercepted or not received in a timely manner, or not received at all, for any reason.-RJF 
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