bbotcs I am NOT an oil expert. My interests follow my money. TGA has been my biggest stock for awhile. I read their every PR and put them under my pillow at night.
If you want to dip your toes into to smaller plays, maybe you should get comfortable by sticking with a US or Canadian based play. That way you minimize the political risk. I would also suggest buying small positions in 2 or 3 to diversify your risk. Bobwins