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Future Currents: Where the Global Energy Sector Will Flow. Robert Rapier. The Wealth Summit May 2014. Outline. Biography Philosophy on money and energy investing 2013/Q1 2014 in review Is natural gas still cheap? Shale oil continues to boom A word on coal, nuclear, and renewables
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Future Currents: Where the Global Energy Sector Will Flow Robert Rapier The Wealth Summit May 2014
Outline • Biography • Philosophy on money and energy investing • 2013/Q1 2014 in review • Is natural gas still cheap? • Shale oil continues to boom • A word on coal, nuclear, and renewables • A peek at my portfolio
Robert Rapier Bio • MS in chemical engineering from Texas A&M • > 20 years in the energy business • Roles in oil and natural gas production, refining, petrochemicals, renewable energy • Five patents granted • Worked in Germany, Scotland, and the Netherlands • Based in Hawaii, but on assignment in Arizona • Investor for >30 years
The Hats I Wear 1. Investing Daily • Publications • The Energy Strategist/The Energy Letter • MLP Profits/MLP Investing Insider • Personal Finance 2. MericaInternational • Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President • Conduct due diligence • Develop technologies • Presently working with Advanced Green Innovations in Arizona 3. Freelance writer/commentator • Managing Editor, Energy Trends Insider • Guest columns in Washington Post, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, The Economist • TV appearances on 60 Minutes, The History Channel, and PBS
Author of Power Plays • Published in 2012 • Layman’s guide to energy • Overview of energy options • History of US energy policy • Due diligence primer
My Money Philosophies • Spend less than I earn • Minimize personal debt • Invest in businesses I understand • Invest in profitable but out of favor businesses • Understand the risk level • Avoid investments that are overly dependent on government subsidies and/or mandates • Identify long-term trends and invest for the long term • Have an exit strategy
A Few Energy Philosophies • Energy is nearly as important to society as is food and water • There is no economic, scalable substitute for oil • Oil prices will continue to be driven by growth in developing countries • A long natural gas boom is underway • Coal and nuclear power face headwinds • Investing in advanced biofuel companies is a good way to lose money
TES 2013 in Review • Purged 27 holdover companies, including royalty trusts and several foreign companies • Average return of companies after selling was -5.7% • Added 27 companies from across the energy spectrum • Average annualized return of new buys was 28% versus 22 percent advance for the Energy Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLE) • Kept 18 companies from previous regime • Average annualized return of holdovers was 28% • Full performance summary in December 27 TES story “Counting Our Blessings”
Q1 2014 Report • Energy Select Sector SPDR down 1% • S&P 500 up 1% • TES portfolios up 1.8% • 12 TES “Best Buys” up 7.6% • Two in the red and six returning double digits • Major moves in Q1 by American Railcar (NYSE: ARII), up 52%, and First Solar (NYSE: FSLR) up 30%
Current Best Buys * I own shares in this company
LNG Exports • Two dozen liquefied natural gas (LNG) export license applications under review at DOE • Total capacity of all licenses applications is 35.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcfd) • This is equivalent to just over half the natural gas production in the US in 2012 • Thirteen companies have applied to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) • 2 West Coast, 2 East Coast, 9 Gulf Coast • 18 Bcfd total proposed capacity • Cheniere Energy Partners LP (NYSE MKT: CQP) scheduled to start exporting LNG in Q4 2015
EPA Phase-out of Mercury • Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) • Designed to limit emissions of mercury and other toxic substances; implementation in 2015 and 2016 Source: EIA, Annual Energy Outlook 2014
EPA Curb on Carbon Emissions • Proposed limit of 1,100 lb CO2/MWhfor new power plants • Coal-fired power without expensive carbon sequestration unable to meet this standard • Average emission rates in the US from coal-fired generation are: 2,249 lbs/MWh of carbon dioxide • Average emissions rates in the US from natural gas-fired generation are: 1135 lbs/MWh of carbon dioxide • EPA: “EIA projections show that natural gas is likely to be the most widely-used fossil fuel for new construction of electric generating capacity through 2020”
A Relevant Digression • I am currently working to help commercialize a natural gas conversion kit for heavy trucking and power generation • Embedded at Advanced Green Innovations in Phoenix • They have developed the world's first non-invasive diesel to natural gas engine conversion kit that provides full diesel power and torque -- www.zhro.com
Understanding Gas Inventories • US natural gas consumption is seasonal • During “injection season”, gas is stored under pressure in depleted oil or gas reservoirs, in natural aquifers, or in salt caverns • Injection season lasts from ~April 1st to ~mid-November • Inventories are then drawn down through the winter • Abnormally cold or warm winters can have a lingering on natural gas prices Source: EIA, Annual Energy Outlook 2014
Natural Gas Inventories 1995-96 Gas prices rise 168%
Natural Gas Inventories 2000-01 Gas prices rise above $10/MMBtu
Natural Gas Inventories 2002-03 Gas prices rise above $15/MMBtu
Natural Gas Inventories 2011-12 Gas prices fall below $2/MMBtu
Natural Gas Inventories 2013-14 Largest gas withdrawal on record
A Long, Cold Winter • Natural gas inventories are 53 percent below normal
A Long, Cold Winter • Inventories not expected to recover before 2016 Prices crashed
From my presentation last year: “Natural gas is cheap”
Natural gas highlights • Henry Hub spot price on May 31, 2013 was $4.02 per million Btu • Henry Hub spot price on April 29, 2014 was $4.83 per million Btu – an increase of just over 20 percent • Added Cabot Oil and Gas (NYSE: COG) to the Growth Portfolio on 3/13/13 • Nation’s 12th largest gas producer • Total return to date of 19.2 percent • Added Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK) to the Aggressive Portfolio on 5/13/13 • Nation’s 2nd largest gas producer • Total return to date of 43.5 percent • Added Devon Energy (NYSE: DVN) to the Growth Portfolio on 9/25/13 • Nation’s 4th largest gas producer • Total return to date of 19.1 percent
Top 20 US Gas Producers Denotes portfolio holding
Disconnects Create Opportunity • Cabot Oil and Gas COG drops based on short-term factors I pick up shares at $35
Natural gas takeaways • Natural gas in the early stages of a long-term growth phase • Short-term investors should exercise more caution, as gas producers have surged recently • Downside risk short-term would be an unusually mild summer followed by a mild winter • 100% of natural gas-weighted portfolio holdings have been winners to date
Top US Oil Producers Graphic source: The Economist
Notable Portfolio Holdings • 4 of the Top 5 US oil producers • 3 of the Top 4 Bakken oil producers • Continental Resources (NYSE: CLR) • Whiting Petroleum (NYSE: WLL) • EOG Resources (NYSE: EOG) – also top producer in Eagle Ford Formation • Top producer in the Permian Basin • Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY)
Nuclear and coal industries will be driven by growth in India and China, but will face plenty of headwinds