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Lets see if esph ends today above .52.or 53. If it does this could be a significant sign of an uptrend.
Stiffer rules looming on shale drilling
Stiffer rules looming on shale drilling
By JENNIFER A. DLOUHY and TOM FOWLER, HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Updated 08:27 p.m., Wednesday, October 5, 2011
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Regulators moved on two tracks Wednesday to stiffen standards for natural gas drilling and force companies to shed more light on the chemicals used in the process.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar told reporters that the federal government is poised to advance new requirements on shale gas extraction from public lands as soon as next month.
Meanwhile, during a public hearing in Austin, speakers told Texas regulators what kind of disclosure requirements should be imposed on gas drillers. The Texas Railroad Commission is developing specific requirements under a new Texas law mandating that companies reveal the chemicals used to hydraulically fracture wells.
The hydraulic fracturing process involves blasting a mix of water, sand and some chemicals underground and at high pressures to unlock natural gas trapped in dense shale formations.
The Railroad Commission's draft rule would require companies to list ingredients on a public website, but it would make exceptions for chemicals considered to be proprietary or trade secrets. All information, including proprietary details, would have to be revealed to health professionals and emergency workers, under the plan.
Rice University chemistry professor Andrew Barron told the commission the proposal goes further than Food and Drug Administration requirements for consumer products. For example, he said, soft drink makers aren't required to disclose what's in "flavoring" listed on soda labels.
Because common materials in fracturing fluids include thickening agents used in ice cream and chemicals used to purify drinking water, disclosure could go a long way to easing public concerns about the process, Barron said.
"Once you understand what is being used in a frac job is similar to what you're consuming every day, it becomes demystified," he said.
The oil and gas industry already has begun providing more details on the fluids, responding to concerns by environmentalists and policymakers that the materials could contaminate groundwater supplies. In Washington, Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee also have raised red flags about the injection of diesel at some hydraulically fractured sites.
'Overall pleased'
Cyrus Reed, conservation director for the Texas Chapter of the Sierra Club, said he was "overall pleased" with the state's rule-making process and was encouraged the Railroad Commission appeared to be moving faster than required by law to get the new rules in place. But he urged the panel to keep in provisions requiring the Texas attorney general's office to review challenges to trade secrets claims - instead of providing a loophole for the industry.
Kathryn Baecht, of the North Texas non-profit Citizens Organizing for Resources & Environment, was less enthusiastic about the rules and fracturing in general.
Loss of water
"That fact that we're taking millions of gallons of water out of the hydraulic cycle is a crime," she said, referring to the amount of water
I agree. However, I do believe after reading the financial times today about hedge funds going bearish the stock is being controlled. We are caught in MM and shortland. That is a big part of it. Thanks recognizer.
Curt you are correct. I once owned a stock called Adzone Research I bought it for 10 cents a share and paid 500 dollars for the amount I purchased. It went down to 7 cents then back up to ten and I sold at 20 cents. Three months later the stock went to 12 times what I paid for it. Now I do not believe the company even exists. I bought New Market Tech panicked and sold it. 4 months latter the stock went up 5 times what I paid for it. You are correct no matter what when the MMs decide to run it thats when we will make money not a second before.
I see what you mean. However, I do believe the road to success is near. There should be news within six weeks.
Recognizer what is your evaluation of today so far. The stock went up to 53 cents and seems to be not dropping below 49 cents. I know we need to news.
Curt thanks for your reply. Esph so far today was up 10 percent. What our your thoughts on share increase? I feel we will see it.
Otc stocks always need news to help. I feel that news will be forthcoming since the machine does work. Plus Swn Southwestern Energy gained yesterday and by one analysis was upgraded to a buy. Chk Cheseapeake Energy went down yesterday. As far as Dennis is concerned I my self would like a low point on options. It makes it easier to sell. I still feel we will be getting good news and clearly we have a contract which over the next 8 quarters gives revenue of 5,000,000. Clearly this stock is taking longer then expected but this has not been the best market.
It is my understanding via msn.com that Geneva Investments own 1.5 million shares of esph. They are a large investment firm based in Chicago. Does anyone know if the machines esph makes can be used for oil wells? It is my understanding they can.
Also the fact these machines can be used to clean water such as in Katrina Waveland, Mississippi. The uses for clean water make this a great product. Now P&G should step up to the plate and deliever. More news should be on the way within the next six weeks. I am just not talking about the Q.
They did not have P&G and the product they now have. This product is now the leader in the field. This stock is worth2 or 3 dollars. Not 50 cents.
Way to go these are great indicators. I think people want to see cash in the bank before they invest. Remember American Corps are now Cash Rich. why not invest in them. Thanks for the info.
I agree on panic sellers. However,now that we know the machine works we can look for more contracts in the industry very shortly. Secondly there is now meat to this stock. 4 machines sold approx 10 mil. It is my understanding it will only take a month to produce 2 of them. Also there is capacity to produce more. I would say within 30 days the price should be over a dollar. Based on market absorbtion. It takes time for the market to take into account the news and act on it. Also investors may be waiting for the quarterly report to get a better picture. Finally Jordan and Phillips should now be introducing more contracts. I also feel now this company is in great position to be sold. A great product that works and satifies the greenies.
You are right there are panic sellers. I believe this is caused by expecting the stock to shoot high on the present news. However I do believe it will go above a dollar shortly. I also believe there will be new contracts coming out shortly. The pressure from the greenies for a safe envoirment is just to much.
Recognizer when you say above a dollar what time peroid is your guess? Plus how much more above a dollar will it eventually go in your opinion.
We need news and money. It is my understanding that one of the reasons this stock does not move is the low cash flow. The 5.5 mil and new contracts are needed to go higher.
When the testing is done and money 5.5. mil is transferred to the account stock will soar. We need money on news.
The more pressure put by anti fracking groups the more we shine. We have the tech to protect the public. Plus the need for gas, and the need for jobs comes into play. Esph will hit high and strong hopefully this week.
What I would like to see is first the news the test was successful and patent will change industry. Then on Tuesday the or wednesdaythe 5.5 million increased reveneu. What do you guys think?
Excellent thanks curt.
At this point you are correct.
I agree sorry for my ignorance but what do you mean by 8k?
With the bad market news today esph is hanging in their. I believe next week will be a good time to announce news and a better market.
I believe you are right. Particularly, when you think of the environmentalists and the protest they had in Philadelphia.
Thanks for the info.
The good news if mms are selling to each other look for a possible giant leap when the news comes out. Correct me if I am wrong Recognizer.
Great info. The clearly will be up with this news, the success of the machine re testing,and many contracts.Go Esph
This is great news I feel news will come the lastest by the 26th of September. But why is this stock still so low if Lux Research is correct?
I agree Ecosmith and the quotes are accurate. Paydirt is on its way. Great article keep it up.
There is no sure bet but when I saw the article I realized ESPH is a clear winner. The next few months should make all investors very happy. Thanks again Curt for the imput.
Take a look and tell me what you think:
The 9 Largest Natural Gas Producers and 1 to Buy Now
By Dan Dzombak | More Articles
September 9, 2011 | Comments (1)
SWNSouthwestern
CAPS Rating 5/5 Stars . $35.91 $-1.55 (-4.14%)
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Natural gas is booming in the U.S., and there’s money to be made. I've already revealed my secret to commodities investing and a way to get huge dividends from America’s energy game changer. Read on to find the names of the 9 largest natural gas producers in the U.S. and the one I like best.
NatGas!
In the past few years, new technologies and cheaper costs have allowed producers to access gas trapped in parts of the U.S. previously considered unreachable. As more companies have tapped these unconventional plays, U.S. natural gas production has risen roughly 25% over the past five years, to 78 billion cubic feet per day. Experts expect production to keep rising over the next 25 years, to 113 Bcfd by 2035.
The biggest contributors to this growth are the following nine companies, which are the nine largest natural gas producers in the United States:
Company
Q2 U.S. Nat Gas Production (MMcf/day)
1 ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM ) 3,842
2 Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK ) 2,575
3 Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE: APC ) 2,326
4 Devon Energy (NYSE: DVN ) 2,029
5 Encana (NYSE: ECA ) 1,864
6 BP (NYSE: BP ) 1,833
7 ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP ) 1,651
8 Southwestern Energy (NYSE: SWN ) 1,347
9 Chevron (NYSE: CVX ) 1,299
Source: Natural Gas Supply Association.
If you believe in the huge opportunity of natural gas, these companies all look tempting. However, you can’t just go out, pick the largest, and call it a day. It’s very important to understand a firm’s overall production mix when looking at oil and gas stocks.
Company
Total Production (MMcfe/day)
U.S. Nat Gas as % of Total Production
1 ExxonMobil 26,376 14.5%
2 Chesapeake Energy 3,049 84.5%
3 Anadarko 4,110 56.6%
4 Devon Energy 3,960 51.2%
5 Encana 3,395 54.9%
6 BP 20,598 8.9%
7 ConocoPhillips 9,840 16.8%
8 Southwestern Energy 1,364 98.7%
9 Chevron 16,140 8.0%
Source: Company statements.
As you can see, while ExxonMobil is the largest U.S. natural gas producer, U.S. natural gas only makes up 14.5% of the company’s total production. The best plays on natural gas are the companies in which natural gas makes up the majority of their production. With that in mind, we have Chesapeake Energy at No. 2, with U.S. natural gas making up almost 85% of its total production. While I do like Chesapeake, the company I want to highlight today is actually eighth on the list, Southwestern Energy, with almost 99% of its total production coming from U.S. natural gas. While Chesapeake also is notable for its large production of natural gas, I like Southwestern Energy for one key reason: costs.
Low cost producer
Currently there is a rush to secure drilling leases in the U.S., which is keeping natural gas supply higher than demand. This has pushed down the price of natural gas in the U.S. to a very low $3.96/mcf, below many producers’ cost of production, including Chesapeake’s, whose total cost of production was $7.59/mcf in the past six months. Southwestern Energy is one of the lowest cost producers of natural gas, with total costs coming in at $3.93/mcf.
A low cost of production is important because when a commodity is unprofitable, high-cost producers die off or halt operations. The industry shrinks, leaving only the most efficient firms as higher-cost producers gradually halt operations. As high-cost producers stop production and supply shrinks, the price of the commodity gradually rises to the industry’s cost of production. In the case of natural gas, the industry average cost of production is roughly $5-$6/mcf. We are seeing the beginnings of this currently with the industry moving toward drilling for oil and natural gas liquids plays as opposed to straight natural gas plays.
Southwestern’s low costs stem from the Fayetteville Shale, one of the country’s largest fields, which Southwestern discovered almost a decade ago. The firm was able to acquire nearly 900,000 acres in Fayetteville for $100 an acre, which are now worth roughly $15,000 an acre. Besides prime real estate in a very profitable field, Southwestern saves money through the large economies of scale from its ownership of its own drilling rigs and pipelines, assets most exploration and production companies don’t have. At $5/mcf, Southwestern is worth roughly $45-$50, a 30%-40% discount to today’s price.
Catalysts!
Besides the price of natural gas rising (very likely in the next few years) or a buyout (shale M&A is hot and expanding), Southwestern has another catalyst. Management is considering a spinoff or sale of its midstream assets (pipelines). If valued on a comparable level to Chesapeake Midstream Partners (NYSE: CHKM ) , which was Chesapeake Energy’s midstream assets, these would be worth roughly $7 per share -- which the market isn’t currently factoring in. Management has said they will probably decide by the end of the year whether or not they will take this value-unlocking course of action.
Foolish bottom line
Natural gas is changing the face of energy in North America. If you're looking for more stock ideas, check out The Motley Fool's free report, "The Only Energy Stock You'll Ever Need." In it, Fool analysts detail a company that will also benefit from the natural gas boom and pays a dividend. Click here to grab a copy.
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.Dan Dzombak can be found on his twitter account: @DanDzombak. The Motley Fool owns shares of Devon Energy. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended buying shares of Chesapeake Energy and Chevron. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended writing puts in Southwestern Energy. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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Help us keep this a respectfully Foolish area! This is a place for our readers to discuss, debate, and learn more about the Foolish investing topic you read about above. Help us keep it clean and safe. If you believe a comment is abusive or otherwise violates our Fool's Rules, please report it via the Report this Comment icon found on every comment.
Report this Comment On September 10, 2011, at 2:40 PM, showmethefacts wrote:
There is a lack of analysis here. You state "
U.S. natural gas production has risen roughly 25% over the past five years, to 78 billion cubic feet per day. Experts expect production to keep rising over the next 25 years, to 113 Bcfd by 2035.
Then, you go on to say the price if natural gas should rise over the next few years. Why? Doesn't increased production mean more supply? Natural gas is moved to users via pipelines; it cannot be easily exported (LNG has not made a dent in the glut) or moved around on tankers like oil can. The truth is that we have a domestic glut of natural gas now, the result of new drilling techniques that have unlocked previously uneconomic supplies. Industry, utilities and transportation have NOT switched from coal (cheap and dirty, but politically protected for now) or oil fast enough to sop up the expanding supply. While I agree with Boone Pickens and others, including some strange bedfellows like environmentalists who see natural gas as a cleaner alternative to other fuels, that more US users SHOULD switch to gas, the fact is that they have not. We don't know when or if they will. The gridlock in Washington means issues like this are way down the list... and coal has a strong lobby on both sides of our kleptocracy... This article may be right in the long run, but is very short on analysis of why greater supplies make these stocks a good deal. If even more gas floods the market, prices could fall further (making it uneconomic to drill and produce). Lower or even stagnant commodity price is not good news for any of the stocks mentioned. And besides, the real low-cost producer (at well below than $3 mcf) is Ultra Petroleum (UPL), which is mostly a gas producer despite its name. SWN has higher costs and some negatives that UPL does not have. UPL is also at a bottom (but could stay low if the glut continues)
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DocumentId: 1551113, ~/Articles/ArticleHandler.aspx, 9/10/2011 6:56:47 PM
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Your right and the wait might be necessary to sell for close to 5:00 dollars a share. This is a winner for more reasons then fracking. Do you know if we use the ElVN prodcut?
Recognizer if this hits like I think it will what price could we see by December 2011 per share. I feel 2:00 to 2:50. What do you think. I know it is very hard to predict.
Once again we are ONE of 283 trade show members. What happened to all these distributors that were on the ground? What about the bid I thought was submitted. Maybe I should attend and they undt can pay me to hand out brochures. If they cannot pay me should I take Stock!!!
Very interesting:
Natural Gas Stocks Expand In Line - Analyst Blog
2:30p ET August 26, 2011 (Zacks.com) The U.S. Energy Department's weekly inventory release showed an in-line build-up in natural gas supplies. An increase in domestic gas consumption – driven by cooling demand on the back of extremely hot weather conditions in regions of Texas – was offset by decline in residential/commercial and industrial sector consumption, as well as slightly higher production.
The Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report brought out by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) every Thursday since 2002 – includes updates on natural gas market prices, the latest storage level estimates, recent weather data and other market activity or events.
The report provides an overview of the level of reserves and their movements, thereby helping investors understand the demand/supply dynamics of natural gas.
It is an indicator of current gas prices and volatility that affect businesses of natural gas-weighted companies and related support plays like Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (APC), Chesapeake Energy (CHK), EnCana Corp. (ECA), Devon Energy Corp. (DVN), Nabors Industries (NBR), Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN), Helmerich & Payne (HP) and Halliburton Co. (HAL).
Stockpiles held in underground storage in the lower 48 states rose by 73 billion cubic feet (Bcf) for the week ended August 19, 2011, within the guidance range (of 72–76 Bcf gain) of the analysts surveyed by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Companies Inc (MHP).
The increase – the twentieth injection in as many weeks – is larger than both last year’s build-up of 38 Bcf and the 5-year (2006–2010) average addition of 55 Bcf for the reported week. The current storage level at 2.906 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) is down 140 Bcf (4.6%) from last year and is 55 Bcf (1.9%) below the five-year average.
A supply glut had pressured natural gas futures for most of 2010, as production from dense rock formations (shale) – through novel techniques of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing – remained robust, thereby overwhelming demand.
Storage amounts hit a record high of 3.840 Tcf in November last year, while gas prices during 2010 fell 21%. As a matter of fact, natural gas prices have dropped more than 70% from a peak of about $13.60 per million Btu (MMBtu) to the current level of around $3.90, in between sinking to a low of $2.50 in September 2009.
However, stocks of the commodity slid approximately 2.261 Tcf during the five-month period (November 5, 2010 to April 1, 2011) on the back of a colder-than-normal end to this past winter, production freeze-offs in January/February, and the steadily declining rig count.
These factors cut into the U.S. supply overhang, thereby creating a deficit in natural gas inventories after erasing the hefty surplus over last year’s inventory level and the five-year average level.
But with the end of the peak in heating demand for winter, natural gas prices continue to be under pressure against the backdrop of sustained strong production. Producers are now hoping that the gap between supply and demand will further narrow in the coming months as they bet on a hotter-than-expected summer and an active hurricane season.
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This company was up around 1.70 last summer with mere speculation BP would use it. Now this company has meat behind. If the tests results are good, and the enviormentalists keep it up it will be the stock of now, not just the future. Also it is my understanding Gas in other countries brings more profits then in the United States which has a good market. Final the Govenor of New Jersey's veto although symbolic gives energy to those who want greater regulations. This stock at high should be at least 2.50 and at low 1.30.
I would imagine we will hear something good by the 26 of September 2011. Once there is a successful tests the sky is the limit. I do believe once the stock skyrockets we will see a sale of company.
Thanks for the info. I called Southwest Energy was told the testing is still going on. I understand Southwestern is decreasing in East Texas. However, Fayettville is going strong. Also the Southwestern wanted mobile units.
This hopefully will give enough envoirmental teeth for the industry to accept ESPHs machinery.
Posted: Thursday, 25 August 2011 2:26PM
Christie Proposes 1-Year Gas Drilling Ban
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has recommended a one-year ban on a natural gas drilling process known as hydraulic fracturing or "fracking."
The Legislature passed a bill in June to permanently ban the drilling. On Thursday, Christie sent it back with a conditional
veto recommending that the ban be lifted next year. It's not clear whether the Legislature will sign off on the change.
The measure is largely symbolic. Experts say there's not enough natural gas under New Jersey to drill for.
In hydraulic fracturing, drillers pump water, sand and chemicals underground to create fissures in rock, freeing up natural gas. The federal government is studying whether fracking hurts water quality. Industry officials say it doesn't.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
You win that arguement. By the way:
Natural gas gains further after EIA supply report
10:36a ET August 25, 2011 (MarketWatch)
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Natural-gas futures added to gains Thursday after a weekly government report showed an increase in supplies on the lower end of analyst expectations. The Energy Information Administration reported a rise of 73 billion cubic feet in natural-gas supplies in the week ended Aug. 19. Analysts polled by Platts had expected an increase between 72 and 76 billion cubic feet. Natural gas for September delivery added 5 cents, or 1.2%, to trade at $3.96 per million British thermal units.