Institutional-grade access to domestic oil & gas

Capitalizing on the structural undersupply of domestic and global energy.

The world still runs on oil & gas — and capital has retreated

For more than a decade, ESG mandates and the 2020 price shock have starved the upstream sector of capital. Institutional funding for new drilling has collapsed nearly 90% from its 2017 peak. Meanwhile, global oil demand continues to grow, existing fields decline 2–5% every year, and a supply gap of 7.1 million barrels per day is projected by 2030. The opportunity is structural — and the capital vacuum has opened the door for private investors.
Read The Full Energy Thesis
For more than a decade, ESG mandates and the 2020 price shock have starved the upstream sector of capital. Institutional funding for new drilling has collapsed nearly 90% from its 2017 peak. Meanwhile, global oil demand continues to grow, existing fields decline 2–5% every year, and a supply gap of 7.1 million barrels per day is projected by 2030. The opportunity is structural — and the capital vacuum has opened the door for private investors.

The popular narrative says oil & gas is a sunset industry. The data tells a different story. The oil & gas industry generates $4.3 trillion in annual revenue and $3 billion in daily profit — making it the seventh largest industry in the world, larger than pharmaceuticals, automotive, or food production. And every industry ahead of it on that list is completely dependent on hydrocarbons.

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway has spent more than $400 million accumulating Occidental Petroleum stock, even as Wall Street panics about falling oil prices. The smart money sees what the headlines miss: a supply-constrained commodity with growing demand and a shrinking capital base willing to fund new production.

Aspen Energy's strategy is designed to capitalize on this dislocation. By acquiring non-operating working interests (NOWI) and overriding royalty interests (ORRI) in producing assets, the platform generates immediate cash flow from existing wells while securing the right to participate in new drilling on the same acreage — without taking on direct operational risk.

We focus on the lower 48 (no offshore exposure), partner with major operators in proven basins, target infill drilling rather than wildcat exploration, and employ partial price hedging to dampen commodity volatility. Add IDC, depletion, and depreciation tax advantages, and the result is a structurally advantaged path into one of the most important sectors in the global economy.
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The Structural Energy Opportunity

83% of World Energy Is Still Carbon

Oil, natural gas, and coal still supply 83% of global energy demand. Renewables remain a small share of the mix, and the transition to alternatives is measured in decades, not years.

Supply Crisis Building

New exploration & development spending is down 55% since 2015. Existing fields decline 2–5% annually, requiring roughly 5 million barrels per day of new production every year just to stay flat.

Institutional Funding Vacuum

Annual private equity funding into upstream oil & gas collapsed from $15.8B in 2015 to roughly $1.6B in 2023. The retreat of institutional capital has created an exceptional opportunity for private investors.

Cash Flow Today, Upside Tomorrow

The Aspen Energy model targets producing wells for immediate cash flow, paired with proven undeveloped acreage for new drilling — generating quarterly distributions with significant upside potential.

Dedicated team with energy & capital markets expertise

The Aspen Energy platform is led by the Aspen Funds executive team in partnership with Mohajir Energy Advisors, a best-in-class operating partner with a $200M+ track record across the lower 48 states.

Ben Fraser

President, Chief Investment Officer
CIO at Aspen Funds and co-host of the Invest Like a Billionaire podcast, bringing 10+ years of investment management to alternative investing.

Robert Fraser

Co-Founder & CFO
Co-founder and CFO of Aspen Funds with 20+ years in finance and technology, passionate about educating others on alternative investments.

James Maffuccio

Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Co-founder of Aspen Funds with 30+ years in real estate and deep expertise in mortgage notes, overseeing acquisitions, underwriting, and sourcing.

Dan Schulte

Managing Partner
Former Managing Partner at B12 Capital Partners and 15-year General Counsel of Waddell & Reed, with deep expertise in securities and capital raising.
Investor Education

Jeff Mohajir

President & CEO
Specialist at the intersection of energy economics, technical analysis, and investment strategy, with $700M+ raised and directed across energy projects.

Bob Behner

Exec. VP, Venture Development
Oil and gas veteran with 32 years across exploration and operations, known for disciplined budget management and strong stakeholder relationships.

Strategic operating partner

Mohajir Energy Advisors has been actively working across the areas in the lower-48 states. They have experience in the majority of onshore plays with a concentration through the central portion of the country.
2.55 Years
Average hold period
46.25%
average realized irr
$200m+
invested capital
2.55 yrs
average realized multiple on invested cash
Investor Education

The investor's guide to oil & gas

How direct oil and gas investing works — and why high-net-worth investors have held it for decades.
How direct oil and gas investing works
A plain-language breakdown of how investors participate in oil and gas projects directly — outside of public markets and mutual funds.
Upstream, midstream, and downstream — what's the difference
The three segments of the energy value chain, how each generates returns, and where Aspen focuses.
The tax advantages of direct energy investment
Why high-net-worth investors have long used direct oil and gas to reduce taxable income — including depletion allowances and intangible drilling cost deductions.
Risk, return, and portfolio fit
An honest look at the risk profile of direct energy investment and why it has earned a consistent place in the alternative allocations of sophisticated investors.

The Aspen Energy model

Institutional discipline across every energy investment decision

Institutional-grade well selection

We target assets with proven geology and production histories consistent with major operator standards.

Co-investment alongside established major operators

Aspen co-invests alongside established operators, positioning alongside experienced teams who bear the operational and geological risk.

Conservative underwriting and active price hedging

We underwrite conservatively and hedge price exposure so the investment thesis does not depend on commodity price assumptions.

Deep geological diligence

Formation-level risk analysis is a primary screen, not a secondary one. We evaluate what is underground before we evaluate what is on paper.

Three tax benefits unique to oil & gas

For high-income earners and high-net-worth investors, the tax treatment is often a primary reason to allocate to oil & gas.

Intangible Drilling Costs (IDCs)

Depletion

Depreciation

General overview only — not tax advice. Treatment depends on individual situation; consult your CPA.

Proven upstream energy experience

Aspen Funds and our operating partners have deployed capital across multiple upstream cycles. The funds below reflect prior and active offerings managed under the Aspen Energy platform.
Closed

Upstream Energy Fund VI

This Fund is focused on investing in a combination of existing producing assets for current cash flow (PDP) along with acreage for new drilling for upside value (PUD). We’ll be targeting multiple basins.

Return
25-35%
Strategy
NOWI / ORRI
2025 Distribution Yield
15%
Invested Capital
$41M
Active quarterly distributions with strong yield through 2025
Diversified position across multiple operators and basins
Fund VII strategy builds directly on the Fund VI playbook
Closed

Upstream Energy Fund VII

This Fund will be focusing on investing in a combination of existing producing assets for current cash flow (PDP) along with acreage for new drilling for upside value (PUD). We’ll be targeting multiple basins.

Return
25-35%
Strategy
NOWI / ORRI
Invested Capital
$67M
Projected Equity Multiple
4 – 7x
Diversified portfolio across multiple basins and experienced operators
Combines producing assets (PDP) with proven undeveloped (PUD) acreage
Builds on the Fund VI playbook with the same NOWI / ORRI strategy
*Past performance is not indicative of future results. Returns and equity multiples shown are estimated and based on current market values, projections, and operator-provided data. Actual results may vary materially. All investments involve risk, including potential loss of principal. Please review applicable offering memoranda for complete performance disclosures.

Why Investors Choose Aspen Funds

Macro-Driven Approach

Macro trends move markets. We identify them early and invest with the tide, not against it.

100% Co-Investment

Every fund Aspen manages includes personal capital from our principals, invested under the same terms available to our investors. We believe that shared exposure to outcomes is the most honest form of alignment.

Uncorrelated Verticals

Because each vertical draws returns from a different source, allocating across Aspen strategies creates genuine non-correlation - strategies that don't respond to the same market forces at the same time.

Dedicated Operations

In-house teams with specialized expertise running each vertical, ensuring consistent execution and strong operational oversight.

Investor First Approach

We structure our fees transparently, with no hidden costs. Our fund structures prioritize investor outcomes, with incentives tied to performance and aligned with the capital we manage.

Explore Aspen's Other Verticals

Aspen Credit

Private credit strategies across mortgage notes and CRE lending, structured for downside protection and consistent income.

Aspen Industrial

Industrial real estate positioned to capture the long-term demand shift toward domestic manufacturing and supply chain resilience.

Aspen Multifamily

Multifamily real estate in high-growth demographic markets, positioned for long-term equity appreciation.

Ready to explore Aspen Energy?

Our team can walk you through the upstream thesis, current and upcoming offerings, the tax advantages, and how Aspen Energy fits within your broader portfolio.