The problem with natural gas

Can it be water friendly?

Great AP story on the Delaware River Watershed, part of the Marcellus shale bed, and natural gas drilling.

Without doubt, natural gas drilling can consume large amounts of water. Likewise, critics contend it might also lead to many other forms of pollution.

Proponents, however, claim that most natural gas is found far below the water tables, therefore, there is little risk to water supplies, outside of the large amounts of water needed to 'fracture' these shale beds to release the natural gas.

And the Delaware River Watershed debate is similar to many other debates raging in natural gas loaded areas. Hopefully, this leads to some quality science on this subject. Obviously, natural gas offers America a huge economic opportunity. However, if a major increase in natural gas drilling is a significant threat to water resources, potential will probably be limited.

Cramer stays on natural gas bandwagon

Barnett Shale in Texas

Trick me once, shame on you. Trick me twice, shame on me.

Not long after Boone Pickens took on his natural gas campaign, CNBC financial guru, Jim Cramer, joined the cause. Several months later he backed off natural gas and called out Pickens to explain himself, which Pickens did on Cramer's Mad Money Show.

Months later, Cramer was again higher than ever on natural gas, a place he has now been for several months. In fact, Cramer believes the recent Total and Chesapeake Energy deal is just the beginning of action to come in the natural gas space as new drilling techniques make shale a paradigm shifter for US energy policy. (more)

Hey, if natural gas can reduce CO2 emissions and reduce foreign oil consumption - while guaranteeing the protection of water resources - then natural gas might be one of the greenest of investments out there.

Natural gas to become #1 electricity source

Can also power cars directly or indirectly

Could natural gas become the primary source of electricity production?

Yes, according to Leonardo Maugeri, senior executive vice president of Eni S.p.A, a leading energy company and a founding member of the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI).

In addition to electricity and plug-in vehicles, natural gas can also power conventional vehicles, as well as hybrid cars.

Natural gas the next big green investment?

Power your home and your car

In Copenhagen, there was much debate between the US, other modern countries and China, India and Africa. Essentially, these emerging countries believe that the US, etc. should do much more immediately to reduce CO2 emissions as the world works towards a common, world-wide standard.

With natural gas inventories growing by the minute, many are starting to believe that natural gas can be the CO2 fix for such aggressive, short term reductions - without any detrimental effects on the US economy.

Moreover, natural gas is now a domestic resource with burgeoning supplies. So, in addition to meeting high CO2 reduction expectations, natural gas also helps tame foreign oil dependence, while providing extra jobs and income in the US.

Sounds like a perfect green investment to me, as long as water resources can be protected from gas drilling.

Transporation: Do natural gas prices make sense?

A rough look at pricing

Today, buying hybrid cars only makes sense if you think long term, and not even then in some cases. Inevitably, achieving even 10 percent hybrid market share will require far better cost-effectiveness.

So, what about natural gas vehicles? Finish: Transporation: Do natural gas prices make sense?

Mad Money love of natural gas continues

Devon, politics and a mission

As predicted, Mad Money's Jim Cramer was back on the natural gas bandwagon again today. Except Jim isn't just on the bandwagon, he's taking turns driving the wagon.

According to Cramer, "I'm on a mission" to promote natural gas because of "energy independence, clean energy and jobs".

Anyway, Jim brought on Devon's CEO today to discuss the potential of natural gas, particularly the politics of natural gas. The video should be available on MadMoney.com soon.

Nonetheless, Devon is only a winner if gas prices go higher according to Cramer.

I know this is a green energy trade, but it sure feels odd calling a company that has 30 percent of its company invested in petroleum a green company. Is the fact that 70 percent of their business is in natural gas enough to make Devon a green investment?

Momentum or hype: Cramer talks natural gas, again

Is he mad or just attuned to the winds of change

Wow. I watch a lot of Jim Cramer's Mad Money as I'm a CNBC junkie. Not long ago Cramer called out Boone Pickens and his natural gas movement, after Cramer, months earlier, gave a nod to the Pickens Plan.

At that point I truly believed natural gas, at least as far as a transportation fuel, was dead.

Yet, Cramer is back on the bandwagon, and he's discussed natural gas several times in just the last few weeks. According to Cramer,this turn was dictated by the positive momentum of natural gas legislation in Congress that is rumored to have strong, growing bipartisan support. Likewise, the Rockies pipeline, within about a year, could have a major effect on pushing natural gas prices much lower - even to the point of mass export.

Thus, Cramer had on the CEO of Ultra Petroleum Corp today to discuss these issues. I'll post a link to the video later.

Anadarko is Cramers's latest natural gas play

A natural gas derivative

Cramer is back on a natural gas kick. Last year, Cramer used his Mad Money show to highlight Boone Pickens' plan for a natural gas transportation system. Later, Cramer called out Pickens for the fact that nothing of the Pickens Plan had materialized.

In recent weeks, however, Cramer has been much more supportive of the natural gas industry, particularly considering natural gas legislation is now working its way through Congress. Thus, recently, Cramer has recommended companies like Fuel Systems Solutions and Encena.

Today, Cramer recommended Anadarko Petroleum is a natural gas derivative play.

Will the Japanese dominate natural gas?

Another sign of Toyota's forward-thinking?

I've been casually following the natural gas story since Boone Pickens made this issue his cause. At first, I was extremely skeptical and critical of the idea. Sure there might be a few hundred years worth of natural gas in America, but mining natural gas out of shale and creating an infrastructure would certainly outweigh any benefits I figured.

Finish: Will the Japanese dominate natural gas

Natural gas gets a boost in Congress

But is natural gas green?

The House of Representatives is set to pass $150 million research program to develop natural gas vehicles, including natural gas hybrids, and a natural gas re-fueling infrastructure.

Natural gas is certainly a cleaner burning fuel than either gasoline or diesel, and there is a lot of natural gas available in the US. Hence, natural gas offers foreign oil dependency fighting potential.

So, there is a lot of upside to natural gas, but natural gas is still just an interim technology.

Inevitably, it seems the government has to set some goals for ending foreign oil dependency, much the same way the government is trying to set goals for reducing CO2 emissions.

Isn't it time to put together a plan that includes not just a time frame for ending foreign oil dependency, but that has solid benchmarks along the way?

Time for natural gas hybrid vehicles?

New fuel, new battery

Starting Wednesday, the Pickens Plan will kick off a virtual march to push Congress and the White House towards a greater embrace of natural gas and wind power.

President Obama, however, has indicated that natural gas isn't an option. It's the electric car or nothing, but is that really wise?

I'm certainly not arguing against plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles. It just seems to me that scaling up production of these vehicles is going to take much more time than most advocates are willing to accept. Likewise, many of these vehicles are going to be consuming dirty coal for decades.

Thus, shouldn't natural gas be at least part of the conversation? And, to protect the drive towards electrification, the program could be driven by natural gas hybrid vehicles, which keeps investment into battery technology rolling while replacing foreign oil with domestic, cleaner natural gas.

Finish:  Time for natural gas hybrid vehicles?

NaturalDrive: Retrofitting conventional cars into natural gas vehicles.

The Honda Civic CNG vehicle at the LA Auto Show

NaturalDrive has received EPA certification for its CNG retrofit of the 2008 Chevy Impala.

According to GreenCarCongress, "NaturalDrive’s retrofit package includes a compressed natural gas sequential digital fuel injection system and 10.4 gasoline gallon equivalent storage in Type 3 composite fuel cylinders. An additional optional cylinder provides a total of 13.0 gge storage, for a maximum highway range of more than 375 miles @ 3,600 psi. The 3.5L engine delivers 212 hp and 190 lb-ft of torque."

Other retrofits are on the way.

Natural gas is much cleaner than oil and there is enough natural gas to replace foreign oil for many decades. Unfortunately, however, there are some questions about CNG drilling and possible water pollution.

If those issues could be resolved, such retrofits could help America quickly end foreign oil dependency while either creating new jobs, or at least sustaining current automaker jobs.

Trash trucks: The economics of Natural Gas

A natural gas trash truck in Los Angeles

Within two years, Los Angeles might convert their entire fleet of trash trucks into natural gas vehicles. Already, LA's Bureau of Sanitation is using 300 such trucks.

These trucks, built by Peterbilt with Cummins Engines, reduce CO2 emissions by 90 percent, but they cost $50,000 more per truck. Natural gas is also cheaper than diesel fuel, but it could take as long as 10 years to recover costs.

Still, isn't that investment worth less global warming emissions and less foreign oil dependency? Check out MSNBC for a video.

A natural gas-driven automaker bailout?

Honda Civic natural gas vehicle next to a home refueling station

Today, Jim Cramer opened MadMoney with his vision for how Obama should solve most of America's major problems in the first 100 days. Regarding energy independence, Cramer called for an immediate automaker bailout, with a catch. To qualify for a bailout, automakers would have to make a serious commitment to natural gas vehicles.

Finish: A natural gas-driven automaker bailout?

Natural gas boom inevitable under Obama?

Simply cleaner

The election of Democratic Sen. Barack Obama to the U.S. presidency should be a boon to natural gas producers, according to CNBC. If Obama advances a trading system that would set prices for companies to emit carbon dioxide, natural gas would quickly start replacing dirtier fuels according to the piece.

Is natural gas the next big green investment.

Cramer keeps pumping Pickens Plan

Still on the Picken's bandwagon

Watched Jim Cramer interview Boone Pickens on Mad Money today. Cramer has become a huge supporter of the Picken's Plan, and both men seem to truly believe that the Pickens Plan wouldn't just end foreign oil dependency, but create a lot of new jobs here in the US.

Building up the wind corridor from Texas to North Dakota wouldn't just create enough electricity to account for 20 percent of total US electricity consumption, it would also create a lot of jobs.

Likewise, the solar corridor, from Texas to California would also create electricity and jobs, while pumping the kind of investment into solar that can truly make it cost effective. Once that happens solar power could offer far more potential than the government verified potential of wind power.

Clean coal? Pickens and Cramer called clean coal an oxymoron.

Nuclear? It will take too long according to Pickens.

The Pickens Plan. What do you think?