Gas utilities are involved in the unearthing, transportation, and selling of natural gas throughout the world. The companies service the various parts of this chain. There are the wildcat bunch that search and mine for natural gas reserves deep in the ground. Next there are the pipeline companies, which as public investments are usually offered as master limited partnerships (MLPs). And the last group are the more familiar utilities who deliver this gas to the end user and also may own parts of the other two businesses.