It Was 2014. A Winter Storm Ravaged the Northeast.
The polar vortex had gripped the country in an icy fist, plunging temperatures in Chicago to -16°F and in New York City to a bone-chilling 4°F. But even as electric grids teetered on the brink and heating oil ran short in some regions, something else quietly kept America warm: natural gas.
Utilities leaned hard on gas-fired power plants, which ramped up to meet record demand. The Northeast burned through massive quantities of gas, yet the lights stayed on. That winter proved something vital: natural gas isn’t just a backup—it’s a backbone. And now, a decade later, it might be time for investors to look at gas not just as a commodity, but as America’s most critical strategic asset.
The Astonishing Truth: 30,000 Years of Energy Underfoot
Here’s a jaw-dropping statistic that almost no one is talking about:
“If we were to use methane hydrates alone, estimates suggest the U.S. could meet its current energy needs for 30,000 years,” according to the U.S. Department of Energy and a joint report with the U.S. Geological Survey.
Let that sink in.
Methane hydrates—frozen crystalline forms of natural gas found deep beneath the ocean floor and Arctic permafrost—are just one part of America’s natural gas arsenal. And even before you factor those in, proved reserves of natural gas in the U.S. hit an all-time high of 625.4 trillion cubic feet in 2021, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).
That’s enough to power 75 million American homes for over a century, at current usage levels.
Natural Gas Is Quietly Dominating U.S. Energy
While headlines focus on solar, wind, and nuclear, natural gas is already doing the heavy lifting. According to the EIA:
- In 2023, natural gas accounted for 43% of U.S. electricity generation—by far the largest source.
- The U.S. is now the world’s top natural gas producer, surpassing both Russia and Saudi Arabia.
- Thanks to liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, natural gas is also one of America’s most profitable energy exports.
“Natural gas is not only a bridge fuel—it’s the foundation of our energy future,” said Toby Rice, CEO of EQT Corporation, in a recent interview.
The Political Winds Are Shifting
Just a few years ago, natural gas was lumped in with coal as a “fossil fuel” to be phased out. But that’s changing fast. Even progressive voices are starting to differentiate between dirty coal and clean-burning gas.
“If you’re serious about cutting emissions, you should be serious about gas,” said Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency.
In fact, burning natural gas produces 45-50% fewer carbon emissions than coal, and new technologies—like carbon capture—are making it even cleaner.
The #1 Natural Gas Stock to Watch Now:
The writing is on the wall: natural gas is not just here to stay—it’s set to thrive in the coming decades.
So what’s the best way to play this generational shift?
There’s one company that sits at the very heart of this American energy renaissance. It’s a stock that’s already quietly outperforming and is poised for explosive growth as global demand for clean, cheap, and abundant U.S. gas accelerates.
Ticker: NYSE: EQT
EQT Corporation: The King of American Natural Gas
Company Snapshot:
- Ticker: NYSE: EQT
- Market Cap: ~$16.5 billion
- Headquarters: Pittsburgh, PA
- Proven Reserves: Over 25 trillion cubic feet
- CEO: Toby Rice
EQT Corporation is the largest producer of natural gas in the United States, operating primarily in the prolific Appalachian Basin. They are not just drilling wells—they’re revolutionizing the industry.
Why EQT is Special:
- Massive Scale, Low Cost: EQT has more than 1 million net acres and some of the lowest production costs in the industry. Its scale gives it leverage and cost-efficiency others can’t match.
- Strong Free Cash Flow: In 2023, EQT generated over $2.5 billion in free cash flow, and it’s on track to maintain robust profitability even if gas prices stay modest.
- LNG Export Play: EQT is aggressively pursuing export opportunities. Toby Rice has championed a plan to increase LNG capacity and even described EQT as the company that will “unleash U.S. LNG” on the world stage.
- Shareholder Returns: The company recently initiated a dividend and has committed to a $2 billion share repurchase program—a signal of confidence from management and a gift to long-term investors.
- Environmental Leadership: EQT has committed to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2025, one of the most ambitious goals in the industry.
Why I’m Watching EQT Closely
I’ll be honest: I used to think natural gas was a boring legacy play. That was before I started digging into the data. What I found is that natural gas isn’t just a transitional fuel—it may be the dominant fuel of the next 100 years, especially if technologies like blue hydrogen, small modular reactors, and carbon capture develop alongside it.
EQT is a pure play on this shift. It has the acreage, the balance sheet, the leadership, and the political tailwinds. And with shares trading at just 6x forward earnings, it might be one of the most undervalued assets in the energy space right now.
A 30,000-Year Opportunity Beneath Our Feet
The U.S. has enough natural gas—between proven reserves and methane hydrates—to power the country for 30 millennia. It is clean, abundant, cheap, and exportable. Natural gas is not only America’s most powerful energy asset—it’s one of its best-kept secrets.
And if you’re looking to invest in this unstoppable trend, EQT Corporation (NYSE: EQT) deserves a spot on your radar.
It’s not every day you get a chance to invest in the future of energy. But today? That chance is sitting in the ground—and EQT is bringing it to the surface.
Yours in profits,
Tom Anderson
Editor, Wall Street Watchdogs
