ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) and Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY) are among the top-performing oil stocks of 2022 so far. It's not surprising to see why: Crude oil prices shot up to 15-year highs this year, raking in copious amounts of money for oil exploration and production companies. Both ExxonMobil and Occidental Petroleum have cashed in on high oil prices this year and aggressively pared debt, invested in growth, and boosted their dividend payouts.

Yet, if you were to pick only one oil stock right now, which one should it be and why? Here's the bull case for ExxonMobil and Occidental Petroleum stocks to help you decide.

Neha Chamaria (ExxonMobil): ExxonMobil is one of the largest oil and gas companies in the world, but that's not why you should consider the stock. Exxon is also one of the world's largest integrated oil and gas companies. To be sure, Occidental is an integrated oil company as well, but it still derived almost three-quarters of its sales last year from upstream operations. While that might make Occidental stock more alluring in a rising oil-price environment, a more diversified oil stock should help you ride out the long-term volatility in oil and gas better.

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Source Fool.com