Natural gas investing is an incredibly popular and active sector of the commodity world, as its high volatility as well as robust growth predictions make it a candidate for all kinds of investors. As a trading too l, natural gas tends to exhibit violent daily swings with high and liquid volumes. While this can lead to significant losses, for those who play their cards right, trading natural gas can make for a nice short term reward. For the more traditional buy and hold investor, there are still a number of options that may not directly invest in the commodity, but offer significant exposure under a safer structure [see also 25 Ways To Invest In Silver ].

No matter what kind of investor you are, there is certainly a natural gas option that fits your investment style. Below, we outline 25 ways to invest in natural gas to help investors pick the correct security for their portfolio:

Futures

Futures were the original method for obtaining exposure to commodities. These contracts can be difficult to understand and require a rather complex futures account. so they are not meant for the average investor. For those who fully understand the nuances of these contracts, futures can be one of the most powerful trading tools for an investor, as they offer exposure that, in some cases, can be found nowhere else in the market. The following futures contracts are offered on the NYMEX at the CME Group [see also Three Things Wall Street Journal Didn’t Tell You About Commodities ]:

1. Natural Gas (NG ): These Henry Hub futures contracts, which are also optionable, are the most popular for establishing a futures position in this commodity. One contract represents 10,000 million British thermal units (mmBtu).

2. Henry Hub Natural Gas Last Day (HH ): Also known as the look-alike last day financial futures, these contracts represent 10,000 mmBtu and the futures settle on the last trading day for each contract month.

3. E-mini Natural Gas (QG ): These contracts are not optionable, but represent just 2,500 mmBtu, allowing for smaller investors to still make a strong play on their favorite fossil fuel.

Stocks

Investing the equity side of the equation isn’t a pure play on natural gas, but it can make for a number of interesting opportunities that other investment vehicles simply don’t offer. Equities that focus on this commodity will most often consist of exploration, pipeline, or refining companies which can offer a number of advantages over other options. A fair amount of these companies offer strong dividend options and high liquidity for traders of all kinds [see also Crude Oil Guide: Brent Vs. WTI, What’s The Difference? ].

4. Exxon Mobil (XOM ): Though this firm is most well-known for crude oil production, natural gas production and pipelines consist for a substantial amount of their business and it is hard to argue with the liquidity and 2.4% yield this stock offers.

5. Devon Energy Corporation (DVN ): Devon has its hands in just about every corner of the natural gas market and there is a lot of speculation that it will move further into LNG in the coming years. DVN pays out a dividend yield of 1%.

6. Chesapeake Energy (CHK ): Natural gas production accounts for more than 75% of Chesapeakes business model while the rest comes from crude oil. With natural gas production dominating crude oil, CHK allows investors to make a stronger play on the commodity while hedging the risks with some crude oil exposure.

7. Cimarex Energy (XEC ): This oil and gas exploration/production company is in the business of finding new resources for extraction. Given that there is still a fair amount of natural gas waiting to be tapped into, XEC has a good upside potential.

8. Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation (COG ): Stationed in Houston, this company is an independent oil and gas firm holds current proven reserves of about 2,761 billion cubic feet of natural gas equivalents.

9. Range Resources Corporation (RRC ): Another Texas-based company, Range Resources engages in exploration and production of the commodity in the Appalachian and Southwestern regions of the US. The stock has a market cap of over $11.3 billion and an ADV topping 3.4 million.

10. EOG Resources (EOG ): One of the larger companies on the list with a market cap of $27 billion, EOG spans its operations from nations like the U.S. and Canada, to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobego and China making for a more global play than the previously mentioned securities.

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)

ETFs have been extremely effective for helping to spread commodities to a number of different investors. While it used to be that only futures traders were able to access asset class, ETFs have helped the average Joe gain exposure to something like natural gas producers with just one simple fund. When it comes to natural gas, there are ETPs with various investment objectives to give investors exposure to more than just plain-vanilla futures contracts [see also Four Little Known Factors Driving the Price of Natural Gas ]:

11. United States Natural Gas Fund LP (UNG ): This ETF invests in front month futures contracts for natural gas and is by far the most popular fund for this commodity. UNG trades more than 8.5 million shares daily with over $1.3 billion in assets.

12. DJ-UBS Natural Gas Subindex Total Return ETN (GAZ ): This fund is nearly identical to UNG except that it utilizes the ETN structure, meaning it wont incur tracking error but it will be at the credit risk of its issuer.

13. United States 12 Month Natural Gas Fund (UNL ): UNL is an ETF that holds natural gas contracts for several months out, spreading exposure from the usual front-month strategy, which has led to a lot of  criticism for products like UNG.

14. E-TRACS Natural Gas Futures Contango ETN (GASZ ): GASZ shorts the front month natural gas contract while establishing a long position in longer-term months. This strategy is aimed at nixing contango, a nasty habit by which an ETPs automated roll process sells low and buys high automatically, erasing some value from your portfolio.

15. Seasonal Natural Gas ETN (DCNG ): This ETN maintains an unleveraged investment in a rolling position in Henry Hub Natural Gas futures contracts plus the rate of interest that could be earned on cash collateral invested in specified Treasury Bills.

16. Natural Gas Fund (NAGS ): This ETF will consist of the following contracts: the nearest to spot month March, April, October, and November Henry Hub Natural Gas Futures Contracts traded on the NYMEX, weighted 25% equally in each contract month. This fund also aims to eliminate contango but charges 150 basis points to do so.

17. UltraShort DJ-UBS Natural Gas (KOLD ): This product will seeks to return -200% of its underlying natural gas contracts. While it is a dangerous investment, for traders who have done their homework, this can be a very powerful tool.

18. Ultra DJ-UBS Natural Gas (BOIL ): This fund is simply the 2X version of KOLD, and will return 200% of its underlying natural gas contracts. Same goes for this fund, do your homework before investing.

Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs)

While MLPs technically belong under the stocks section, their unique makeup and juicy yields warranted them their own segment on this list. Over the trailing decade, the Alerian MLP Index “of 50 prominent MLPs has outperformed REITs, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, utilities and the S&P 500″ writes Ed McCarthy. These partnerships focus on oil and natural gas pipelines, as they build new and upkeep the current infrastructure for much of the world’s energy usage. The funds often come with extremely enticing dividend yields that make them ideal for value investors. Note that owning individual MLPs can have adverse effects come tax season so investors should be cautious when buying one of these high-yielders [see also MLPs: CEFs, ETPs, or Mutual Funds? ].

19. Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP (KMP ): An investor favorite, Kinder Morgan operates more than 15,000 miles of natural gas pipelines. The stock trades nearly one million shares each day and has a current dividend payout of about 6.2%.

20. Inergy, L.P. (NRGY ): Though this stock is not as popular as some of the other pipeline firms on the list, its current dividend payout falls just short of 10%, making it a hard option to pass up.

21. Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP (BWP ): Operating over 14,000 miles of pipeline, BWP has an aggregate gas capacity of around 167 billion cubic feet. The stock pays out a dividend of 7.4% [see also Analyzing Five High Yielding Oil & Gas Pipeline Stocks ].

22. Enbridge Energy Partners LP (EEP ): Based in Houston, Enbridge is home to a natural gas treatment plant, 10 processing plants, and around 4,600 miles of gas pipelines. The stock shows off a market cap of $7.6 billion and a yield of 7.1%.

23. Energy Transfer Partners LP (ETP ): Founded in 2002, this firm has a number of processing, treatment, and conditioning facilities dedicated towards this commodity. Also note it pays out a competitive yield of 7.8%.

24. Natural Resource Partners LP (NRP ): Natural Resource isnt as popular as the other options on this list, with an average trading volume around 225,000, but its yield of 7.5% puts it right in line with the others [see also Dividend Special: Four Commodity Stocks Yielding Over 5% ].

25. Buckeye Partners LP (BPL ): Though BPL is one of the smaller companies on this list, they span their operations out over 15 states, giving them a wider reach than the majority of the aforementioned firms. BPLs current yield is sitting at 6.1%.

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Disclosure: No positions at time of writing.

Commodity HQ is not an investment advisor, and any content published by Commodity HQ does not constitute individual investment advice. The opinions offered herein are not personalized recommendations to buy, sell or hold securities or investment assets. Read the full disclaimer here .