James WestBarclaysJames West debuted in third place in 2011 and this year climbs to second. The Barclays analyst offers “a good combination of management access, breadth of coverage and high-level insight into the market,” according to one ally. West is highlighting a theme of strength in the offshore and international markets. “We’re just in the early stages of what we think should be a long and strong international cycle, driven by growth almost everywhere,” he says. Meanwhile, the North American onshore market is likely to experience moderation in the overall rig count late this year and in early 2013, as exploration and production companies cut back on capital expenditures because of lackluster natural-gas prices, West adds. The researcher is bullish on Houston-based Halliburton Co., which is poised to benefit from a settlement related to BP’s 2010 Deepwater Horizon rig disaster and will “start spending the cash they have on the balance sheet or return it to shareholders,” he believes.