Ditto for small-cap utility companies, which are already shifting to natural gas from coal. The stock prices of utilities Niska Gas Storage Partners ,AGL Resourcesand Atlas Energy have risen over the past year even when natural gas prices have dropped. Plus, they all offer dividend income.

Large chemical companies that manufacture natural gas treatment products also should see a significant upside in about five years.

A 2011 study by the American Chemistry Council calls shale-gas "a game changer," with the potential for generating an additional $32.8 billion in industry production.

Subash Chandra of the securities firm Jefferies & Co. mentions Dow Chemical as a main player in this arena since it uses natural gas to manufacture its products. LyondellBasell , which has a slightly smaller market share than Dow, is another strong pick.

Transportation

Rising diesel costs have made natural gas-powered commercial vehicles a suddenly hot commodity, though investing here, too, comes with its own risks.

From garbage truck fleets to truck-leasing companies to delivery concerns such as UPS and FedEx, there is plenty of excitement about saving big bucks by buying trucks that will run on natural gas. Fleets of the surface shipping companies can use natural gas to refuel at a central depot on a regular basis.

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