Karl W. Miller argues that claims of natural gas being in permanent excess supply are inaccurate. While natural gas production has increased, the demand from power generation, industrial use, and residential/commercial consumers has also grown. If this demand was fully met, it could strain the distribution system and diminish excess supply claims. For natural gas to truly be considered in excess, all coal plants would need to be replaced, industrial and transportation use would need to expand, and sufficient storage infrastructure would need to be in place.
The 25-page executive summary for a study published in January 2014 by IHS titled "Fueling the Future with Natural Gas: Brining it Home." The new study finds that because of the ongoing rush of new natural gas supplies from shale drilling, the Henry Hub benchmark price will likely stay between $4-$5 per Mcf until 2035. It also finds homeowners will save a signifcant amount of money by heating with natural gas.
API Report: Oil and Natural Gas Stimulate American Economic and Job GrowthMarcellus Drilling News
A report from the American Petroleum Institute that shows the incredible number of jobs and resulting economic growth that comes from shale drilling in the U.S. The study keys in on the role of "supply chain" companies--companies that sell good and services to the drilling industry.
The fossil fuels industry, big oil, big coal, natural gas, and its allied sectors, including some large financial institutions, will not quietly or willingly retire into the history of ideas whose time has passed. That fossil fuels represent the single greatest systemic risk to our collective economic wellbeing, however obvious to increasing numbers of fiduciaries, is not a consideration for the industry’s plutocrats. A divestiture campaign to get money out of fossil fuels stocks has emerged, indicating an emerging popular awareness that we must and will transform our energy society into one that can coexist with and even thrive on a finite earth. That a massive global transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energies, led by solar, also means that there are and will continue to be competitive investment returns earned from carefully selected investment exposure to the sector.
The 25-page executive summary for a study published in January 2014 by IHS titled "Fueling the Future with Natural Gas: Brining it Home." The new study finds that because of the ongoing rush of new natural gas supplies from shale drilling, the Henry Hub benchmark price will likely stay between $4-$5 per Mcf until 2035. It also finds homeowners will save a signifcant amount of money by heating with natural gas.
API Report: Oil and Natural Gas Stimulate American Economic and Job GrowthMarcellus Drilling News
A report from the American Petroleum Institute that shows the incredible number of jobs and resulting economic growth that comes from shale drilling in the U.S. The study keys in on the role of "supply chain" companies--companies that sell good and services to the drilling industry.
The fossil fuels industry, big oil, big coal, natural gas, and its allied sectors, including some large financial institutions, will not quietly or willingly retire into the history of ideas whose time has passed. That fossil fuels represent the single greatest systemic risk to our collective economic wellbeing, however obvious to increasing numbers of fiduciaries, is not a consideration for the industry’s plutocrats. A divestiture campaign to get money out of fossil fuels stocks has emerged, indicating an emerging popular awareness that we must and will transform our energy society into one that can coexist with and even thrive on a finite earth. That a massive global transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energies, led by solar, also means that there are and will continue to be competitive investment returns earned from carefully selected investment exposure to the sector.
Lattice Energy LLC - LENRs Could Enable a Moores Law for Energy - Nov 19 2014Lewis Larsen
Uniquely radiation-free LENRs could enable a Moore’s Law for Energy: exponential increases in our available energy supplies will be needed to meet future global demand arising from achieving universal electrification and Internet connectivity at reasonable societal cost, along with a concomitant drastic reduction of CO2 emissions.
This is the only entirely new type of primary energy technology on the foreseeable horizon that can potentially extend the lifetime of present fossil fuel reserves by transforming aromatic fractions of oil and coal into 21st century green CO2-free LENR fuels as well as providing the world economy with an extremely dense source of affordable green energy, connecting the unconnected, and empowering billions of presently powerless people.
Il World Energy Focus, nuovo mensile online della WEC's community, una e-publication gratuita per essere sempre aggiornato sugli sviluppi del settore energetico. Il World Energy Focus contiene news, interviste esclusive e uno spazio dedicato agli eventi promossi dai singoli Comitati Nazionali.
A history of the solar century so far: a tale of disruption, denial, and exis...Jeremy Leggett
An account of the oil industry's response to climate risk and the emergence of low-cost solar since that late 1990s as seen by a bit-part player in the drama. As presented in the closing keynote at the UBS Renewables and Energy Transition Virtual Conference, 17th September.
Impact of the Manufacturing Renaissance from Energy Intensive SectorsMarcellus Drilling News
A report released March 20, 2014 from the U.S. Conference of Mayors that shows the impact of abundant, inexpensive natural gas is having and will continue to have to 2020 and beyond on nine key manufacturing sectors. The report shows that 72% of the benefit from cheap shale gas will go to 363 metropolitan areas across the United States. That is, America's major cities are the beneficiaries, in both jobs and economic impact, from abundant nautral gas.
Il World Energy Focus, nuovo mensile online della WEC's community, una e-publication gratuita per essere sempre aggiornato sugli sviluppi del settore energetico. Il World Energy Focus contiene news, interviste esclusive e uno spazio dedicato agli eventi promossi dai singoli Comitati Nazionali.
Covid-19 has accelerated the stranding of fossil-fuel-economy assets. What do...Jeremy Leggett
My latest Big Picture update for the team at Solarcentury, built around the latest report from Carbon Tracker, "Decline and Fall", published 4th June.
Apologies for typo in slide 4. Date in bottom caption should read 2023 not 2003.
I spoke at the Harvard Club in February of 2020 on renewable energy, how it can be used to provide a low carbon fuel to electric vehicles, and how both can play a greater role in reducing climate change and increasing jobs and economic growth if government policy helps promote the technologies.
Renewable energy, including wind and solar power, has experienced explosive growth in recent years with no sign of slowing down. Read our special report, How Renewables are Winning, to learn more about this rapid period of renewable energy advancement.
A Geological Perspective On Global WarmingPaul Schumann
By Peter Rose
The relative contribution of Man's activities, as opposed to Nature's activities,,to the observed recent rises in Earth temperatures, is unresolved. In addition to the oft-noted inability of climate modeling to reproduce the documented recent past, a major shortcoming of contemporary climate studies is that they rest upon very short time spans, whereas climate change considered from a geological perspective encourages much less anxiety about the climate future of the world. If it turns out that most observed global warming is the result of natural causes, as seems increasingly likely, proposed voluntary economic initiatives by Western nations to limit CO2 emissions will constitute a serious and unnecessary economic wound, self-inflicted at the worst possible time. Sunspot cycles suggest that we are about to enter -- indeed may have already begun -- an extended period of global cooling. Recent unsavory revelations (“Climate Gate”) have cast doubt on thedependability of the science underpinning Anthropogenic Global Warming.
Peter R. Rose (BS, MA, PhD, Geology, University of Texas at Austin) is a certified petroleum geologist who was Staff Geologist with Shell Oil Company; Chief, Oil and Gas Branch of the U.S. Geological Survey; and Chief Geologist and Director of Frontier Exploration for Energy Reserves Group, Inc. (now BHP Petroleum (Americas), Inc.). In 1980, he established his own independent oil and gas consulting firm, Telegraph Exploration, Inc. His clients include most major U.S. companies and prominent independents as well as many international firms and state oil companies. Dr. Rose has explored for oil and gas in most North American geological provinces and has published and lectured widely on U.S. resource assessment, basin analysis, play development, prospect evaluation, and risk and uncertainty in exploration. He has taught extensively at the professional level and was a 1985/1986 AAPG Distinguished Lecturer.
An issue brief/report from the Manhattan Institute. The 20-page report says now is the time for the U.S. to press its advantage in shale energy. The report's writer, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, Oren Cass, points out the cyclical nature of commodity prices for oil and gas and says even though prices are down now--they won't stay that way. In order to take full advantage of the shale boom, Cass suggests 11 reforms to help craft a smarter U.S. energy policy--one that will amplify the current boom and extend it far into the future.
Il World Energy Focus, nuovo mensile online della WEC's community, una e-publication gratuita per essere sempre aggiornato sugli sviluppi del settore energetico. Il World Energy Focus contiene news, interviste esclusive e uno spazio dedicato agli eventi promossi dai singoli Comitati Nazionali.
Lattice Energy LLC - LENRs Could Enable a Moores Law for Energy - Nov 19 2014Lewis Larsen
Uniquely radiation-free LENRs could enable a Moore’s Law for Energy: exponential increases in our available energy supplies will be needed to meet future global demand arising from achieving universal electrification and Internet connectivity at reasonable societal cost, along with a concomitant drastic reduction of CO2 emissions.
This is the only entirely new type of primary energy technology on the foreseeable horizon that can potentially extend the lifetime of present fossil fuel reserves by transforming aromatic fractions of oil and coal into 21st century green CO2-free LENR fuels as well as providing the world economy with an extremely dense source of affordable green energy, connecting the unconnected, and empowering billions of presently powerless people.
Il World Energy Focus, nuovo mensile online della WEC's community, una e-publication gratuita per essere sempre aggiornato sugli sviluppi del settore energetico. Il World Energy Focus contiene news, interviste esclusive e uno spazio dedicato agli eventi promossi dai singoli Comitati Nazionali.
A history of the solar century so far: a tale of disruption, denial, and exis...Jeremy Leggett
An account of the oil industry's response to climate risk and the emergence of low-cost solar since that late 1990s as seen by a bit-part player in the drama. As presented in the closing keynote at the UBS Renewables and Energy Transition Virtual Conference, 17th September.
Impact of the Manufacturing Renaissance from Energy Intensive SectorsMarcellus Drilling News
A report released March 20, 2014 from the U.S. Conference of Mayors that shows the impact of abundant, inexpensive natural gas is having and will continue to have to 2020 and beyond on nine key manufacturing sectors. The report shows that 72% of the benefit from cheap shale gas will go to 363 metropolitan areas across the United States. That is, America's major cities are the beneficiaries, in both jobs and economic impact, from abundant nautral gas.
Il World Energy Focus, nuovo mensile online della WEC's community, una e-publication gratuita per essere sempre aggiornato sugli sviluppi del settore energetico. Il World Energy Focus contiene news, interviste esclusive e uno spazio dedicato agli eventi promossi dai singoli Comitati Nazionali.
Covid-19 has accelerated the stranding of fossil-fuel-economy assets. What do...Jeremy Leggett
My latest Big Picture update for the team at Solarcentury, built around the latest report from Carbon Tracker, "Decline and Fall", published 4th June.
Apologies for typo in slide 4. Date in bottom caption should read 2023 not 2003.
I spoke at the Harvard Club in February of 2020 on renewable energy, how it can be used to provide a low carbon fuel to electric vehicles, and how both can play a greater role in reducing climate change and increasing jobs and economic growth if government policy helps promote the technologies.
Renewable energy, including wind and solar power, has experienced explosive growth in recent years with no sign of slowing down. Read our special report, How Renewables are Winning, to learn more about this rapid period of renewable energy advancement.
A Geological Perspective On Global WarmingPaul Schumann
By Peter Rose
The relative contribution of Man's activities, as opposed to Nature's activities,,to the observed recent rises in Earth temperatures, is unresolved. In addition to the oft-noted inability of climate modeling to reproduce the documented recent past, a major shortcoming of contemporary climate studies is that they rest upon very short time spans, whereas climate change considered from a geological perspective encourages much less anxiety about the climate future of the world. If it turns out that most observed global warming is the result of natural causes, as seems increasingly likely, proposed voluntary economic initiatives by Western nations to limit CO2 emissions will constitute a serious and unnecessary economic wound, self-inflicted at the worst possible time. Sunspot cycles suggest that we are about to enter -- indeed may have already begun -- an extended period of global cooling. Recent unsavory revelations (“Climate Gate”) have cast doubt on thedependability of the science underpinning Anthropogenic Global Warming.
Peter R. Rose (BS, MA, PhD, Geology, University of Texas at Austin) is a certified petroleum geologist who was Staff Geologist with Shell Oil Company; Chief, Oil and Gas Branch of the U.S. Geological Survey; and Chief Geologist and Director of Frontier Exploration for Energy Reserves Group, Inc. (now BHP Petroleum (Americas), Inc.). In 1980, he established his own independent oil and gas consulting firm, Telegraph Exploration, Inc. His clients include most major U.S. companies and prominent independents as well as many international firms and state oil companies. Dr. Rose has explored for oil and gas in most North American geological provinces and has published and lectured widely on U.S. resource assessment, basin analysis, play development, prospect evaluation, and risk and uncertainty in exploration. He has taught extensively at the professional level and was a 1985/1986 AAPG Distinguished Lecturer.
An issue brief/report from the Manhattan Institute. The 20-page report says now is the time for the U.S. to press its advantage in shale energy. The report's writer, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, Oren Cass, points out the cyclical nature of commodity prices for oil and gas and says even though prices are down now--they won't stay that way. In order to take full advantage of the shale boom, Cass suggests 11 reforms to help craft a smarter U.S. energy policy--one that will amplify the current boom and extend it far into the future.
Il World Energy Focus, nuovo mensile online della WEC's community, una e-publication gratuita per essere sempre aggiornato sugli sviluppi del settore energetico. Il World Energy Focus contiene news, interviste esclusive e uno spazio dedicato agli eventi promossi dai singoli Comitati Nazionali.
Communicating to whom? Configuring the gendered user in science communication.pyrografica
Slides from a talk given at the workshop ‘Gender and Science Communication: Is there equality in the way we talk about physics?’, Physics Communicators and Women in Physics, Institute of Physics, London. June 21st 2013.
Sierra Club Petition to Federal Trade Commission re Atlantic Coast Pipeline P...Marcellus Drilling News
A petition filed with the FTC by the Virginia chapter of the odious Sierra Club. The petition asks the FTC to review the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline project (from Dominion), with wild claims that it violates antitrust laws. It's frivolous and meaningless and meant to slow and delay the project. Totally without merit.
A U.S. Chamber of Commerce report, second in a series, that imagines what the economy would look like today if the shale energy revolution had not taken place. It's not a pretty picture.
Jack Coleman of EnergyNorthAmerica, LLC recently gave the American Keynote Speech at the 2010 Ordos International Forum on Clean Energy and the Green Economy, held in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China. Details the importance that fossil fuels will continue to play in the world's energy future, and the importance of making them clean.
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Natural Gas Hydraulic Fracturing and its effect on the economy a.docxrosemarybdodson23141
Natural Gas Hydraulic Fracturing and its effect on the economy and environment
Specific purpose for this speech: To persuade the audience to accept and support gas fracturing to harvest gas
Central idea: As a nation the United States needs to take steps to discover alternate sources of energy. With our growing demand for all types of energy and dependence on foreign sources of energy, natural gas fracturing can bring revenue and independence from our energy concerns.
Introduction
I. Attention Material
A. The economy has benefited by a process known as hydraulic fracturing or simply “fracking,” since the year 1947. The process starts with drilling beneath the surface to extract natural gas that is located within the rocks. Water, along with other components is released beneath the surface which fractures (fracks) the deep rock to create the passage for the gas to reach the surface. Once the gas has reached the surface it enters the wells that were created for collection. From there the gas is ready to be potted and sold.
B. With the current turmoil in the Persian Gulf, and the amount of energy the United States consumes, we’re quickly running running out of fossil fuels. Our dependence on foreign energy can be significantly reduced if natural gas can be harnessed as a primary energy source.
C. With all the rise in hydraulic fracturing harvesting plants, several job opportunities have become available for Americans. Job opportunities started rising as drilling and fracking of the natural gas became more common. Job creation is key to avoiding economic failure. States that currently allow facking are reporting revenue gains in the millions and billions of dollars.
D. While we agree that natural gas fracking and the environmental regulations should be more strictly regulated, it is not as harmful to the environment as some would make you believe. States are already taking measures to ensure the environment and communities are protected. With such regulations in place and further measures taking shape, the benefits of gas fracking far outweigh the risks.
I. Thesis (Conclusion): The process of hydraulic fracturing in the current economy has become more refined, the jobs and income it brings provide a myriad of opportunities. Crucial independence from foreign imported energy. While some tout this process as harmful and damaging, it’s actually regulated, and multiple studies by government agencies have been done. Fracking is the energy of the future.
II. Preview of Main Points: Today we will discuss how a new energy resource has become available, along with the job opportunities, and how hydraulic fracturing is less harmful then oil drilling itself. The basics of hydraulic fracturing have already been discussed, so we will move into detail on how this process is beneficial.
Body:
I. The need for a new energy source, and independence from foreign energy
A. Our energy consumption
1. Oil is our largest source of energy, it provides for.
US Chamber Report: What If...Energy Production was Banned on Federal Lands an...Marcellus Drilling News
This report, the first in the Chamber's Energy Accountability series, finds that if the federal government under Obama and Clinton (as they advocate) were to shut down further energy production from public lands, the result would be catastrophic: the U.S. economy would lose 400,000 jobs and $70 billion in annual GDP.
Chamber of Commerce report that asks and answers the important question: What would happen if the hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas was banned in the U.S.? According to research it would lead to the loss of 15 million jobs and an average increase in the price of electricity and gas doubling.
Former Ambassador and head of the US delegation to the Kyoto Protocol negotiations, Stuart Eizentstat, Partner with law firm of Covington & Burling LLP, delivered the keynote address at the GW Solar Institute Symposium on April 19, 2010. View more info at: solar.gwu.edu/Symposium.html
A study released by the analysts at consulting firm Deloitte that looks at the top issues facing the oil and gas sector. The study finds that within the next 5-6 years surging shale oil and natural gas production in the U.S. will "cut deeply" into OPEC's influence on setting world oil prices.
The Great Renewable Energy Scam: Is There A Change In The Wind?andrewmac0
People don’t like being forced to purchase things they may not want, which is why over half of us are hoping that the Supreme Court throws out the individual insurance mandate in President Barack Obama’s health care plan.
Business case study of a utility scale wind project acquisition. Concepts include financial proforma modeling, due diligence, M&A, strategic analysis, wind energy, negotiation, utilities, wholesale power markets, and energy development.
ACCF Letter to DOE Sec. Ernest Moniz Requesting Expedited Approval of LNG Exp...Marcellus Drilling News
A letter from the American Council for Capital Formation to Dept. of Energy Sec. Ernest Moniz making the case for more liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. The DOE under Moniz is charged with approving exports of energy to countries with no free trade agreement with the U.S. They have approved 5 such facilities, but another 21 permits have been filed. Anti-drillers don't want more exports. ACCF provides Moniz with compelling reasons to push forward, quickly, with approvals for more of the LNG export facilities.
Persuasive Speech Outline CRE 101 24 June 2013Natural .docxherbertwilson5999
Persuasive Speech Outline
CRE 101 24 June 2013
Natural Gas Hydraulic Fracturing and its effect on the economy and environment
Specific purpose for this speech: To persuade the audience to accept and support gas fracturing to harvest gas
Central idea: As a nation the United States needs to take steps to discover alternate sources of energy. With our growing demand for all types of energy and dependence on foreign sources of energy, natural gas fracturing can bring revenue and independence from our energy concerns.
Introduction
I. Attention Material
A. The economy has benefited by a process known as hydraulic fracturing or simply “fracking,” since the year 1947. The process starts with drilling beneath the surface to extract natural gas that is located within the rocks. Water along with other components is released beneath the surface which fractures (fracks) the deep rock to create the passage for the gas to reach the surface. Once the gas has reached the surface it enters the wells that were created for collection. From there the gas is ready to be potted and sold.
B. With the current turmoil in the Persian Gulf, and the amount of energy the United States consumes, we’re running quickly running out of fossil fuels. Our dependence on foreign energy can be significantly reduced if natural gas can be harnessed as a primary energy source.
C. With all the rise in hydraulic fracturing harvesting plants several job opportunities have become available for Americans. Job opportunities started rising as drilling and fracking of the natural gas became more common. Job creation is key to avoiding economic failure. States that currently allow facking are reporting revenue gains in the millions and billions of dollars.
D. While we agree that natural gas fracking and the environmental regulations should be more strictly regulated, it is not as harmful to the environment as some would make you believe. States are already taking measures to ensure the environment and communities are protected. With such regulations in place and further measures taking shape, the benefits of gas fracking far outweigh the risks.
I. Thesis (Conclusion): The of the process of hydraulic fracturing the economy has become more refined, the jobs and income it brings provide a myriad of opportunities. Crucial independence from foreign imported energy. While some tout this process as harmful and damaging, it’s actually regulated, and studies by government agencies have been done. Fracking is the energy of the future.
II. Preview of Main Points: Today we will discuss how a new energy resource has become available, along with the job opportunities, and how hydraulic fracturing is less harmful then oil drilling itself. The basics of hydraulic fracturing have already been discussed, so we will move into detail on how this process is beneficial.
Body:
I. The need for a new energy source, and independence from foreign energy
A. Our energy consumption
1. Oil is our larg.
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1. FEATURE ENERGY ANALYSIS
By Senior Energy Industry Executive Karl W. Miller
Natural Gas: Tying Supply, Demand and Politics Together in the U.S. Economy
Reprint of January 26, 2010 Feature Analysis
Natural gas is a clean fuel for the U.S. Washington
Politicians need to start listening to senior industry
executives to put a credible energy plan in place and
focus on investing in America.
Nothing will stop the natural gas revival and industry consolidation which is well under way.
However, sometimes the message has to be repeated, much like the military mantra; tell them
what you are going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them, and tell them
again. Financial markets have a very short memory as history has shown, so let’s tell them
again.
The U.S. economy runs on three key factors; i) a stable housing market and; ii) affordable and
dependable energy supply and; iii) stable employment environment. Without these three critical
factors functioning properly, there will be no meaningful economic recovery in the U.S.
economy.
The road to economic recovery all starts with truly cleaning up the banks, hedge funds and
insurance companies' bad debts and scraping the currently flawed renewable energy and
carbon emissions plans being proposed by the current administration.
The defunct real estate loans in the residential and commercial marketplace must be properly
vetted, written down to net realizable value, and moved off the banks, hedge funds and
insurance company books.
The Government must force this to happen quickly and without preference for any specific
group, despite the strong lobby by various groups. There will be bankruptcies and liquidations;
these are the cold hard facts of a capitalist society, which the U.S. Economy is founded upon.
The U.S. needs a credible and sensible energy policy and emissions plan. We have "abundant
natural gas and coal resources" to support our energy needs for many years into the future, if
properly deployed for further usage into the industrial and consumer bases.
2. Mr. Miller also encourages investors to take this market opportunity to focus on core value of
companies in all sectors. When the political dust settles, companies that generate cash flow, are
positioned for growth, and are essential to the U.S. Economy like natural gas will still be core
investments to all class of investors.
Why is Natural Gas Not in State of Permanent Excess Supply
Mr. Miller is a strong proponent of natural gas and called the revival
of natural gas earlier this year but the gross inaccuracies being
portrayed about Natural gas production, supply, and end use in
Washington and select media require immediate correction for the
benefit of public interest. For reference see:
http://www.investorideas.com/news/122909a.asp,
Natural gas is utilized by three major class of consumers; i) the power generation industry; ii)
the industrial complex; iii) the local utilities across the U.S. which distribute natural gas to
individual homes and office buildings.
As Mr. Miller details in review of the “Dash to Natural Gas” of the 1990’s through 2003, a
tremendous amount of natural gas fired power plants were constructed, some in “load centers”
or major consumption areas, some in fringe areas like the southeast U.S. and some in outright
poor locations. To put the rationale to construct all of these natural gas fired power plants in
layman terms, these natural gas fired power plants were supposed to replace the older coal
fired power plants controlled by the regulated utilities across the country, be more efficient, and
emit much less CO2.
The industry forecast and thesis at that time was for natural gas to be priced at
$3.50/$4.00/mmbtu in perpetuity, as natural gas was reported to be in oversupply, plentiful and
would never in theory be interrupted, thus always available for firm deliver.
The plants were built on a scale never seen before in U.S. History, over $500 billion of debt was
added to the top 80 utilities and natural gas companies going into 2001, and then the
independent natural gas power plant market promptly crashed, went into financial distress and
faded away from the mainstream.
The regulated utilities would not close the older, less efficient, and larger carbon emitting coal
plants, nuclear stranded cost were winding down and the owners of nuclear power plants had
substantially reduced amortized cost basis, thus could sell their power cheaper than natural gas
plants, and the U.S. never implemented a national energy plan, and natural gas was not always
available in certain regions during peak demand, and thus not in oversupply.
These natural gas power plants are still on the ground, some running, some mothballed. If
natural gas were truly “in permanent excess supply”, the utilities would immediately shut down
hundreds of the coal plants running 24 hours a day across the country, fire up the natural gas
3. plants under their control, and contract with the independent power producers who control the
other natural gas plants. This has not happened during the past ten (10) years, nor will it
happen anytime in the foreseeable future.
It is very positive that independent gas producers have started to discover and exploit
alternative means of extracting natural gas from shale and tight sands, within the U.S. borders,
as Mr. Miller firmly believes and has advised Washington and the industry that it will become a
“bridge” fuel by default. Despite the fact that Washington simply does not have the energy
market knowledge or capacity to implement a credible energy plan for the U.S. at the current
time.
The hope of a bi-partisan energy plan has escaped the current administration, despite continued
counseling from Mr. Miller and many other senior energy executives. However, this does not
mean that natural gas is overflowing out of every gas valve across the United States. Nor will it
for quite some time.
By far, the largest consumer of natural gas should be the power generation industry across the
U.S. If CO2 limits are put in place by the Federal Government at some point in the future, or
individual states through the imposition of CO2 non-attainment zones, displacing and
disadvantaging coal fueled plants, and all or a large portion of the natural gas power plants on
the ground today were to be run as base load (running 24 hours a day) plants, excluding the
small gas peakers, a tremendous strain would be put on the natural gas distribution system
(major pipelines and local distribution pipelines) and diminishing any “purported permanent
excess supply.
Secondly, if the local utilities started pulling gas at higher rates through the City Gate (delivery
points for natural gas to major retail consuming areas like Chicago, for example), due to retail
consumers using a greater amount of natural gas, a further strain would be put on the
distribution system, in addition to further diminishing any “purported permanent excess supply”.
Thirdly, if the U.S. industrial complex started pulling more natural gas into their industrial
facilities (the Texas/Louisiana petrochemical/refinery complex for example) a further strain
would be put on the distribution system, in addition to further diminishing any “purported
permanent excess supply”.
Fourthly, if we start fueling truck fleets and other transportation vehicles with natural gas, the
question must be asked, is supply sufficient at peak heating market demand time of the winter
months and peak cooling season of the summer? Is the transmission and distribution system in
place to handle such use of natural gas that we can say with authority that “natural gas is in
permanent excess supply”?
Also, do we have the necessary “high deliverability gas storage facilities” (salt dome or depleted
fields) to handle these large withdrawals and swings of natural gas to meet excessive demand,
which would essentially break the current seasonal injection period during the summer months
and withdrawals during the winter months?
There would be no injection season as the industry knows it today, and no historical statistics to
use as a benchmark, thus prices would continue to be volatile, reflecting a more real time
supply/demand ratio for physical natural gas and for future delivery (futures contract), which
they should.
4. Those that can pay for the physical resource in real time would set the price of natural gas, and
Mr. Miller is firmly convicted this will lead to higher prices and volatility, rather than lower prices
and volatility. This is what is commonly referred to as a “free market”.
Take for example the construction of a wind park in the desert of Arizona or Nevada for
example, without a transmission line to deliver any electricity produced to the end user. The
wind park owner could say that he has excess power supply; however, he has no means of
transmitting that power supply to an end user, rendering the wind power useless.
Finally, if natural gas were in “permanent excess supply” there would be no independent natural
gas producers in business such as XTO (Exxon), EOG, DVN, CHK, APC, and many other
independent producers critical to the future of the U.S. Energy industry and overall economy.
Also, signing long term contracts with end users to lock in a percentage of natural gas
production is a long standing practice in the industry; alternatively locking in the price the natural
gas producer receives through a long term natural gas swap.
These are a positive event for the industry, as long term contracts allow producers to gain
financing of their production operations, not a negative sign or downward price signal. In fact,
history has shown that the higher percentage of long term contracts put in place, the scarcity of
supply principle takes over, and prices become more volatile and sensitive to supply/demand
events, given a larger portion of the commodity is locked up and a smaller portion is available
for the spot market or for future delivery. Thus natural gas prices rise.
There was a time in the 1980's when independent natural gas producers could not even get
financing to produce the gas in the ground that they owned under conventional drilling and
recovery methods, that's why we as an industry invented the gas bank deal structure, to help
finance these producers and bring natural gas to market. We opened up the natural gas
pipelines, deregulated the industry and created “open access”, thus a free market.
If the U.S. were awash in natural gas, we would shut down the coal industry, stop building wind
farms and solar farms, and there would be no need for a comprehensive energy plan for the
U.S. to gain energy independence. We would simply flat-line natural gas prices.
This will not happen anytime in the near future. Natural gas is a fuel of the future, but price
volatility will rise, not fall and this is not a bad thing. It is a sign of a healthy, vibrant, and credible
asset class, “natural gas”.
Winter/summer: There are Two Natural Gas Peak Seasons in the U.S.
Lest we forget, we constructed over 250,000 megawatts of natural gas
fired generation in the U.S. ten years ago with efficient heat rates (energy
conversion factors), and they will be used more often each year going
forward, as we experience more extreme winters and summers.
5. Investors should keep in mind, that during peak season and usage, the mainline pipeline
systems in the U.S operate at or near maximum capacity, and "statistical natural gas in storage"
is not always available, which is why we have massive price spikes at the "City Gates" or major
consuming and producing areas. (Chicago, New York, and Southern California, etc.)
“Mr. Miller believes that the natural gas market is not currently pricing in winter demand
properly and is not pricing in a normal summer peak demand, given the recession of
2009. The natural gas market has been lulled to sleep on price volatility, and is due for a
massive correction to the upside either due to winter or summer peak usage, and what
Mr. Miller believes to be fundamental flaws in estimating working gas in storage, actual
deliverability of gas when required and insufficient mainline transportation.”
While the NYMEX Natural Gas Futures Contract is a useful reference, what is more important is
what is happening on the ground at the wellhead, compression station, storage facility, power
plants and industrial consumers and the City gates.
"Remember Mr. Miller's example of the wind farm in the desert, you can build the most efficient
wind farm money can buy today, but if you don't have wind, and you don't have a transmission
line and a massive renewable energy credit and federal tax credit, you have scrap value". Thus,
natural gas in storage is not natural gas in the pipeline, or at the demand center.
It is a very positive thing that we have producers and some semblance of a financial system left
that can actually still underwrite a long term gas contracts or financial hedges, as that is a skill
set and art that has been lost on the industry for quite some time, as well as a limited number of
financial institutions that have the credit and capability to participate in that arena.
The say one never forgets how to ride a bike, but in Natural Gas case, industry veterans like Mr.
Miller and a select few others have had to step in and not only teach the U.S. Government what
the natural gas market is, but have had to drive many aspects of the industry recovery and
recognition, which includes a tremendous amount of education for the general public, media and
younger financial bankers and traders.
Finally, don't go to sleep looking at the NYMEX futures contract and believe you have a grip on
where natural gas prices or the market structure is going. The Futures contract is purely for
speculative purposes and true producers and physical participant’s hedge and trade via the over
the counter natural gas swap market, physical delivery points and use the natural gas forward
price curve beyond eighteen (18) months.
Natural Gas is back in the mainstream, it is here to stay, and it is not going away just because a
weather forecaster says that next week, next month, or next year are going to be a degree
cooler or hotter. Core commodities have staying power, and Natural Gas has been revived and
a very big way.
6. Production Questions-Decline Profile
The natural gas production decline curve for shale and tight
sands natural gas production is the wild card.
The decline trend in natural gas well production is dictated by natural geologic formations, rock
and fluid properties among other factors. Thus, a major advantage of decline trend analysis is
inclusion of all production and operating conditions that would influence the performance of
natural gas wells.
For illustrative purposes, the standard declines (observed in field cases and whose
mathematical forms are derived empirically) are:
· Exponential decline
· Harmonic decline
· Hyperbolic decline
As an example a study was done on a few specific wells for production histories of fractured low
permeability gas wells in the Piceance Basin in Northern Colorado, which are characterized by a
sharp initial decline followed by a long transition into exponential decline.
These two decline periods correspond to linear and pseudo steady-state flow, respectively.
Predicting decline rates and reserves based on test data or short production histories is difficult
using conventional decline curve analysis, thus making shale gas and tight sands production
curves difficult to forecast.
The usual approach to predicting reserves by decline curve analysis, in this type of well, is to
arbitrarily assign a high exponential decline rate for the first two or three years, followed by a
lower decline. Another approach is to find a hyperbolic decline curve to fit the early tine data and
extrapolate to estimate future rates. Both of these approaches can result in large errors in
calculated reserves.
“Simply put, we don’t know how steep the production decline curve will be for non-
traditional natural gas production will be. There is no quantitative evidence that analyst
can use today to support excess supply of natural gas in the future, further pressuring
prices to the upside.”
7. Renewable Energy: Politics and Ties to Unstable Wind and Solar
Mr. Miller has also provided endless advice to the current democratic
administration regarding renewable energy. Better to retreat, regroup,
and reform for a later date in the future. Additionally, it seems the
Democrats did not bother to even look into the Department of
Energy's own internal energy forecast, that 78-80 percent of the U.S.
Energy will be supplied by fossil fuels by the year 2035.
Mr. Miller has issued a Sell opinion rating on the US renewable and green energy sector.
Despite the feel good factor all Americans desire by declaring themselves green and renewable
friendly, industry executives have consistently counseled the current democratic administration,
republican leadership and industry officials that the proposed terms of the cap-and-trade bill will
lead to disastrous consequences for the U.S. Energy industry.
The Industry Sell Rating Rationale is driven by fact that the renewable industry is still very
immature in the United States. The public companies in the renewable energy sector will
continue to be very volatile and face extreme pressures and difficulty to deliver the promised
growth in net earnings and tangible asset growth. Nor will it have any meaningful effect for the
re-powering and re-fueling of the U.S. power generation industry, nor will it deliver sustainable
efficient energy production.
The renewable energy sector is still a very long way from competing with the net cost of fossil
fuels as measured by generation energy source and recouping the required substantial
investments necessary to justify the current sector valuations.
Net Generation Shares by Energy Source: Total (All Sectors)
Coal - 46.8%
Natural Gas - 20.3%
Nuclear - 21.2%
Petroleum - 1.3%
Other Energy Sources - 3.9% Hydroelectric Conventional - 6.5%
Source: Energy Information Administration
To View Mr. Miller's Analysis go to:
http://www.newenergyworldnetwork.com/cleantech-features/energy-player-karl-miller-predicts-
renewable-energy-market-will-crash.htmlNewNet News - Energy player Karl Miller predicts
renewable energy .
To view Mr. Miller's Full report: U.S. Renewable Energy: A Self Inflicted Crisis in the Making go
to: http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/06-29-
2009/0005052129&EDATE=
8. Distribution Problems-pipelines, LDC’s
Investors should keep in mind, that during peak season and usage, the
mainline pipeline systems in the U.S operate at or near maximum
capacity, and "statistical natural gas in storage" is not always available,
which is why we have massive price spikes at the "City Gates" or major
consuming and producing areas.
Do not be fooled or lulled to sleep by looking at one static statistic that says we have massive
excess natural gas in storage in perpetuity. This is not only not true, it is quite the opposite, we
have massive infrastructure problems, lack of pipeline transmission and laterals to service
power plants and industrial users, as evidenced by the major natural gas delivery curtailments
this past two weeks across the country.
Underground Storage Modeling Problems
On January 7, 2010, Mr. Miller made the call and warned the market
that the U.S. natural gas storage supplies were poised to flip from
surplus to historical deficit during next 30 Days.
Mr. Miller notes this has nothing to do with China, hedge funds, Washington politics, or any
other excuse market prognosticators could put on the table. This is good old fashioned U.S.
domestic demand and usage, which should provide substantial support to U.S. natural gas
production companies. Let’s review the facts.
Working gas in storage was 2,607 Bcf as of Friday, January 15, 2010, according to EIA
estimates. This represents a net decline of 245 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 22 Bcf
higher than last year at this time and 6 Bcf below the 5-year average of 2,613 Bcf. In the East
Region, stocks were 56 Bcf below the 5-year average following net withdrawals of 131 Bcf.
Stocks in the Producing Region were 5 Bcf below the 5-year average of 815 Bcf after a net
withdrawal of 96 Bcf. Stocks in the West Region were 55 Bcf above the 5-year average after a
net drawdown of 18 Bcf. At 2,607 Bcf, total working gas is within the 5-year historical range. Mr.
Miller can say with relative certainty that the natural gas in storage has now flipped to a
historical deficit by much larger numbers than reported by the EIA today.
We will see this deficit formally reported next Thursday, January 28, 2010, even with the current
discrepancies in the EIA reporting methodology, which Mr. Miller has opined understates actual
withdrawals of natural gas from storage across the U.S.
9. Thus, going into the final week of January, we have quickly moved from what many market
analysts have touted for months was a massive excess of natural gas production and supply in
storage, to a deficit, with demand projected to grow substantially in February and March due to
extreme winter weather forecasted for the Eastern U.S. For reference see Mr. Miller’s article
“Weather Update: Cold February and March in the Eastern US”:
seekingalpha.com/instablog/522236-karl-w...
Also, Mr. Miller suggest everyone, especially energy traders remember that there is a Western
region of the U.S. (often overlooked), and that region consumes a large amount of natural gas
both in winter and summer, so it’s not all about the Eastern U.S., as we found today with a
natural gas withdrawal of 245 billion cubic feet of gas withdrawn from storage according to the
EIA.
The net result is that in Mr. Miller's opinion natural gas withdrawals have been understated and
the weather volatility combined with the undervalued summer volatility will drive oil and natural
gas prices up substantially higher in 2010.
We have lost much of our executive expertise related to natural gas and oil contracting,
hedging, and risk management over the last ten to fifteen years in the U.S. Don't be misled by a
natural gas or oil producer announcing that they have hedged part of their production output as
being something negative.
The facts clearly indicate that the U.S. is consuming massive amounts of natural gas in the U.S.
right now and are projected to continue doing so for the next 60 days which would leaving a
massive deficit in natural gas in storage, going into the spring and peak summer seasons, which
Mr. Miller believes is significantly underpriced.
These are powerful facts and circumstances for all investors to consider, as the U.S. is burning
through a lot of natural gas very quickly and demand is slated to grow much higher going
forward. Investors considering a shelter from the market storm might do well to consider natural
gas production companies.
For further reference see Mr. Miller’s analysis “Oil and Natural Gas: A Hedge from the Doom
and Gloom Prognosticators and Rose Colored Glasses”: seekingalpha.com/instablog/522236-
karl-w...
A Closer Look at What Risks the Short Sellers and Speculators Face and Their Future
Financial short sellers and speculators trade the financial
energy commodities, primarily natural gas and oil due to the
liquidity and ease of clearing and leverage they can use to
establish their positions. That is the advantage of having a
functioning and healthy financial system.
10. However, when that system breaks down, the results are severe and swift and immediately
impact each and every financial institution that is providing leverage to the hedge funds or in this
case “shorts”; the clearinghouses seize financial assets and go into the market for immediate
liquidation, which ripples through the market instantaneously in what the market refers to as
systemic risk. In layman’s terms it’s a good old fashioned run on the bank and it’s not pretty and
always leaves casualties.
Yet the age old problem shorts encounter when everyone piles into the same trade as they are
today is they start sitting on top of each other, amplifying the systemic risk and crowding the
potential orderly exit door, much like airplanes circling a busy airport, racked, stacked, and
packed, as air traffic controllers would say.
Eventually each plane must land or crash for lack of fuel as every airplane has limited fuel
reserves to circle the airport for a certain period of time. Short sellers are gambling that they
have enough reserve fuel to stay aloft and not crash land.
How does that relate to energy commodities and the massive traffic jam we have in the natural
gas and oil markets today called the “shorts”, well let’s look at some basic issues facing these
investors, who by are packed like sardines in a trade, which is not novel, not unique, and
certainly not complex.
Speculation is a double edged sword, when it works, rewards are generous, when the blade
turns, and the results are catastrophic, especially if everyone is sitting in the same sardine can,
much like the mortgage backed securities trade which took down Lehman Brothers, Bear
Stearns, Merrill, and almost the entire financial system. There was no exit door big enough to
allow the heard to get out quickly, efficiently and with any meaningful capital, as the market
quickly went against them, thus the run on the bank.
Remember there are two (2) peak energy demand seasons in the U.S. and we constructed over
250,000 megawatts of natural gas fired generation in the U.S. ten years ago with efficient heat
rates (energy conversion factors), and they will be used more often each year going forward, as
we experience more extreme winters and summers; case in point, the current winter 2010 which
is forecasted to be the worst in 15 years.
Power plant
construction was a debt
fiasco in itself, which led
to the bankruptcy of
NRG, PG&E National
Energy Group, Mirant,
and almost bankrupted
many other companies
11. As mentioned, NYMEX Natural Gas Futures Contract is a useful price reference, what is more
important is what is happening on the ground at the wellhead, compression station, storage
facility, power plants and industrial consumers and the City gates.
Do not be fooled or lulled to sleep by looking at one static statistic that says we have massive
excess natural gas in storage in perpetuity. The situation on the ground is quite the opposite, we
have massive infrastructure problems in the U.S., lack of pipeline transmission and laterals to
service power plants and industrial users, as evidenced by the major natural gas delivery
curtailments in late December and early January, or to use the analogy, a jammed exit door.
As Mr. Miller points out that traditional storage models have become dated and are grossly
underestimating the true injections and withdrawals of natural gas in the U.S. leading to
substantial standard deviations in analyst estimates and reported withdrawals.
Core commodities have staying power, and Natural Gas has been revived and a very big way. A
true energy investor rarely has to look at NYMEX to know what is happening in the market,
whether long or short. They know the physical market and infrastructure and watch closely to
see when the sardine can is packed full.
It will be interesting to see how long the “shorts” can stay aloft in this environment and how
much leverage their keepers, the financial institutions and clearinghouses are willing to provide
them.
How Do Investors Navigate in the Natural Gas Sector?
That is, how does one navigate the volatility of the market to position their portfolios in the
energy sector for the balance of 2010 and beyond? Mr. Miller has already opined on multiple
occasions that in his opinion, there will be no downward correction in natural gas and oil during
2010 and the markets will set permanent new floor prices by year end despite any errant
forecast correction in the broader markets.
The Energy industry is consolidating and 2010 will be a year that major industry market
participants position their portfolios for the next 20-30 years, thus making prices somewhat
immune to broader market issues.
Natural Gas is back in the mainstream, it is here to stay, and it is not going away just because a
weather forecaster says that next week, next month, or next year are going to be a degree
cooler or hotter.
Follow Karl Miller's market and energy commentary at
http://www.naturalgasstocks.com/Karl_Miller/
Investors following energy stocks can follow energy stocks with news and commentary
by Karl Miller and several guest contributors in the new energy newswire and RSS feed
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12. Recent Karl Miller Articles:
"Did You Miss the Biggest Buying Opportunity in Energy, Thursday May 6, 2010" by energy
executive Karl Miller
Read the full article published May 6th at Investorideas.com:
http://www.naturalgasstocks.com/Karl_Miller/news/5071.asp
Mr. Miller also published "You Must Be Invested in the U.S. Equity Markets: Overweight on
Energy Producers and Utilities"
http://www.naturalgasstocks.com/Karl_Miller/news/5051.asp
Karl Miller model energy portfolio "Charitable Energy Stocks" on January 27, 2010. To see my
model energy portfolio go to weblink:
http://www.naturalgasstocks.com/Karl_Miller/news/1281.asp
Investors following the energy sector can also follow Karl Miller in the energy news RSS feed.
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13. Karl Miller Disclaimer: http://www.naturalgasstocks.com/Karl_Miller/
This column, Energy Commentary from Karl Miller, is the opinion of Karl Miller. Content found in
the articles is subject to the terms found in the InvestorIdeas.com disclaimer and does not
represent a recommendation of investment advice by Mr. Miller. Investors should seek the
advice of a qualified investment professional prior to making any investment decisions.
About the Author:
Mr. Miller is currently on medical leave but has agreed to contribute his energy market opinions
and views to Investorideas.com. Mr. Miller has agreed to provide his market opinions and
views for public interest and does not receive any compensation for his commentary.
Mr. Miller is a globally recognized energy executive and institutional investor with a balance of
both financial and energy sector expertise. Mr. Miller began his career on Wall Street during
the 1980s and has an extensive background in banking, commodities trading and risk
management.
Mr. Miller is acclaimed for multiple ground breaking market calls and investments, including the
U.K switching from a net gas exporter to a net gas importer in 2000, called the California
energy crisis in 2001, called the Ethanol and Bio diesel boom and bust in 2007, called the
renewable energy boom and bust cycle underway in 2008, and most recently called the revival
of natural gas in the United States in 2009.
Mr. Miller has a long history in the global energy business and has held a variety of executive
management positions both within the United States, Europe and Asia. Mr. Miller has bid on
over $25 billion in energy related assets during his career.
Mr. Miller has built, restructured and managed energy businesses for major public energy
companies on several continents, including PG&E Corporation, Electricite de France, El Paso
Energy, Enron Corporation and JPMorgan Chase.
Mr. Miller holds an MBA in Finance from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at The University
of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Mr. Miller also holds a B.A. in Accounting from Catholic
University located in Washington DC.