Austin, TX – (January 22, 2009) Oil is the lifeblood of modern civilization and almost has single-handedly made industrial civilization possible. We are more than just dependent on oil, we are addicted to it. And despite countless attempts to render it less important, no suitable energy substitute is anywhere close to being found.

The roots of our dependence on oil go much deeper than our reliance on gasoline, fuel and heating oil. Petrochemicals, or substances derived from petroleum, are important in almost everything we eat, wear and use. Here are just a few items to consider: pesticides; fertilizers; detergents; food additives; tires; nail polish; lipstick; pillows; and even ink.

Global Demand for Oil

With the global demand for oil continuing to grow, have you considered investing in oil and gas with a self directed IRA? It could be an ideal way to grow and produce yields for your retirement with a producing well. It’s no wonder global demand for oil continues to rise, year after year. And amidst this incessant thirst for more, the leading producers around the world are watching their production levels steadily decline. As this occurs, the basic economic forces of supply and demand take charge. This fundamental economic principal has been the principal influence over prices throughout history and remains the driving force behind rising oil prices of late.

Increasing Demand

The United States is the third largest oil producer in the world. But we’re the single largest consumer, producing 8% of the world’s oil and consuming 25%. The United States consumes much more oil than we produce – a trend that is expected to continue well into the foreseeable future. As our demand continues to rise while our production simultaneously continues to decline, the ever-widening gap creates an inexhaustible rise in our dependence on foreign oil imports. And the United States’ crucial dependency on foreign oil imports makes us very vulnerable. Unfortunately, there are but two viable means of reducing our dependency on foreign imports. The first is to reduce our oil consumption. So far, this one shows very little promise. The second is to increase domestic production. This one does have potential.

Tax Incentives

In an effort to stimulate domestic natural gas and oil production financed by private sources, Congress provided tax incentives in the 1990 Tax Act that significantly enhance the economics of investing in oil and gas. But these incentives are not “loop holes.” They were placed in the Tax Code by Congress to make participation in oil and gas ventures one of the best tax-advantaged investments available. Of course, the primary reason to invest in oil and gas drilling ventures isn’t for the tax benefits. It’s for the profit potential.

Profitable Ventures with Your Self Directed IRA

The ability to extract oil and gas from the ground at a fraction of today’s market prices can make drilling ventures very profitable. And that can have a substantial impact on a portfolio’s overall performance – especially self directed IRAs.

Many investors are surprised to discover they can invest in oil and gas drilling projects through their IRAs. And Equity Trust Company makes it easy through self directed IRA investing. A number of our partners have begun to allocate a portion of IRAs toward drilling projects with notable results.

After all, in today’s environment of plummeting stock prices and failing financial institutions, generating solid portfolio returns can be extremely challenging. It seems like bad news looms around every corner. But drilling profits are not affected by interest rates or stock prices. The kind of bad news that tends to drive stock prices down tends to drive oil and gas prices higher. It can be an ideal hedge against inflation and tragedy, as well as a primary source of income and profits. And the revenue from a good well can pay for many, many years. This can make it an ideal investment for IRAs.

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