Natural Gas Distribution
Industry Profile Report
Dive Deep into the industry with a 25+ page industry report (pdf format) including the following chapters
Industry Overview Current Conditions, Industry Structure, How Firms Operate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.
Call Preparation Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.
Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.
Industry Profile Excerpts
Industry Overview
The 2,400 natural gas local distributors in the US supply gas for residential usage, commercial usage, industrial usage, and electric power generation. The operations and financial performance of a natural gas distributor are highly dependent on the regulatory structure in which the company operates.
Industry size & Structure
A typical local distribution company has 48 employees and annual revenues of $73 million.
- About 2,400 local distribution establishments provide natural gas distribution services in the US and employ 114,000 workers.
- The natural gas distribution industry is concentrated with the 20 largest firms representing 64% of revenue.
- Large natural gas distribution firms include: ATMOS Energy, NiSource, New Jersey Resources, and Energy Transfer.
- Entry into the business is difficult as a built out pipeline infrastructure (valued in the billions of dollars), approval of the public utility commission, and a demonstrated competence in safety and environmental compliance is required to provide service.
Industry Forecast
Natural Gas Distribution Industry Growth
Recent Developments
Nov 25, 2024 - Malfunction at LNG Export Plant
- On November 20, one of Freeport LNG’s three liquefaction trains tripped offline at the company’s LNG export plant in Texas, according to Reuters. Freeport’s Train 3 tripped due to a lube oil pump malfunction, which caused an emissions event that lasted about 11 hours. News of the Freeport NLG event sent US natural gas futures lower after posting a one-year high earlier in the day. The Freeport NLG site is closely observed, as starts and stops at the plant can trigger wild swings in natural gas prices.
- In its Winter Reliability Assessment in November, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) said that while industry and regulators have made headway in improving winter readiness, some parts of the bulk electric power system still face potential energy shortfall risks from extremely cold weather. In 2021, Winter Storm Uri caused widespread electricity outages in Texas, some stemming from producers’ inability to deliver natural gas to power plants. Since the storm, Texas regulators have taken steps to weatherize generation, but NERC said it was unaware of similar initiatives in other parts of the US. In response to the NERC report, the Natural Gas Supply Association released a statement arguing that the organization’s members “take a multitude of proactive measures to prepare for winter weather so that we can provide safe and reliable service to our customers.”
- Growing demand in the electrical power generation, industrial, and liquified natural gas (LNG) export markets could push natural gas prices higher in 2025, according to Reuters. Natural gas prices reached a four-year low in spring 2024 after a mild winter. Inventories remained about 10% above the long-term average even as summer heat boosted demand for cooling systems. However, according to LSEG Data & Analytics, forward markets for Henry Hub futures, the US natural gas price benchmark, suggest 2025 prices will average $3.20 per million British thermal units compared to an average of $2.22 so far in 2023.
- In the effort to reduce greenhouse emissions, a handful of US gas-fired power plant operators have taken steps to integrate hydrogen into their fuel mix, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Hydrogen combustion doesn’t create CO2 emissions. Five power plant operators have already performed hydrogen cofiring testing, and two others have planned cofiring upgrades to existing plants. Three power plant operators have new plants under construction that are expected to have hydrogen cofiring capability. Recently updated EPA power plant emissions rules and production tax credits through the Inflation Reduction Act are prompting some operators to add hydrogen to their fuel mixes.
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