But future demand growth will likely be driven by liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. The EIA projects a 5.1% annual growth rate in LNG exports from 2018 to 2050. If that outlook is correct, in 2050 LNG exports would consume an estimated 12% of U.S. natural gas production, which itself is forecast to rise by nearly another 50% between now and 2050. The Winners in Natural Gas Growth Who benefits from this scenario? U.S. natural gas producers, U.S. LNG exporters, global natural gas consumers, and the environment, as natural gas displaces coal in many Asian markets. LNG exports have started ramping up, but so far have been dominated by one company: Cheniere Energy (AMEX: LNG) via its master limited partnership Cheniere Energy Partners LP (AMEX: CQP). According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), since the startup of Cheniere Energy's Sabine Pass LNG export terminal in February 2016, about 2 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of domestically-produced LNG have been exported to 34 different countries. Most of that LNG was exported by Cheniere Energy, but the company was joined last year by Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), which opened its Cove Point LNG export terminal. These developments are just the tip of the iceberg, with more than 50 LNG export projects approved by the DOE. Not all of those projects will be built, and some are of more significance than others. For example, LNG is the core of Cheniere's business, but won't move the needle for Dominion Energy. Likewise, Exxon Mobil's (NYSE: XOM) and Qatar Petroleum's announcement this month that they will proceed with construction of the $10 billion Golden Pass LNG export facility on the Texas Gulf Coast won't substantially impact XOM's bottom line. But this project would export up to 2.2 Bcf/d of LNG, which is significant to the overall LNG market. LNG is expected to have a bigger impact for Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), which owns a 50% stake in the Cameron LNG project that is expected to start up later this year. Sempra currently brings in just over $10 billion annually in revenues, but the company's share of this project could add another $5 billion annually for the company. That's enough to warrant attention. Investors interested in capitalizing on the expected surge of LNG exports would be wise to focus on companies for which LNG will appreciably boost the bottom line. A lower-risk alternative may be to focus on natural gas producers in the Appalachia Region and the Permian Basin, which are expected to feed the monster LNG demand growth that is forecast over the three decades. All of these aforementioned trends should make natural gas the "hottest" fossil fuel investment around. |
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar