It's strange to think that just a few years ago we thought the United States was running out of natural gas. Worse yet, we were at the mercy of the Middle East when it came to satisfying our addiction for oil. Few saw a future in which one technology would revolutionize America's energy future.
Thanks to the combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, America is now one of the top energy producers in the world. By 2015, we are expected to be the world's top oil producer and to hold that title for at least the following decade.
What's truly remarkable about this shift is that instead of filling OPEC's coffers with cash, American investors are the ones profiting from this boom. Investors can profit alongside Chesapeake Energy (CHKA.Q) as it drills for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale, or Kodiak Oil & Gas (NYSE: KOG) as it pursues oil in the Bakken Shale. Meanwhile, income-seeking investors can enjoy the large payout fueled by ConocoPhillips' (COP 0.39%) production in places like Alaska, or the even larger monthly distributions from companies like LINN Energy (LINEQ). These are just a sampling of the 14 energy investment ideas offered up in the following slide show.
