Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK) has been rocketing up this past year over 400% over the past 5 years! http://finance.aol.com/quotes/chesapeake-energy-corporation/chk/nys

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- The chief executive of natural gas producer Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK) on Wednesday tried to broaden the market for natural gas by appealing to political concern over the U.S.'s energy crisis, telling Congress that the fuel can provide a solution to both high gasoline prices and climate change.

Hours after presiding over the release of a new report showing that the U.S. has enough natural gas supplies to meet more than 100 years of demand at current levels, Chesapeake Energy Chief Executive Aubrey McClendon told a U.S. House committee that the country could build more natural gas vehicles and gas-fired power plants without raising prices for fertilizer, chemicals and other products that are made with natural gas.

"Three years ago I would have said no," McClendon told Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. Markey had asked whether natural gas supplies were enough to reduce the nation's reliance on coal-fired plants to about 35% of electricity from 50% currently, without raising natural gas prices. "Today, I say yes," said McClendon.

The pitch comes amid skepticism from companies that use natural gas and regulators who are currently focused more on high natural gas prices. This summer, regulators warned that high natural gas prices will mean higher summer electricity bills. Dow Chemical Co. (DOW), a major chemical maker, told Congress on Wednesday that it was wary of government policies that might increase demand for natural gas, saying that the U.S. may not be able to handle higher demand for natural gas without putting further strains on manufacturing, a heavy user of the fuel.