First Traditional Energy Producer of Scale in
the World to Achieve Net Zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG
Emissions
PITTSBURGH, Oct. 23,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- EQT Corporation (NYSE: EQT),
America's leading producer of natural gas, today announced that it
has achieved its commitment to reach net zero Scope 1 and Scope 2
greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions1 across the company's
legacy operations ahead of its 2025 goal. This milestone covers the
entirety of EQT's upstream operations, inclusive of the
recently acquired Tug Hill/XcL Midstream and Alta Resources assets,
which were not part of the original target set in 2021 and combined
represented an approximately 52% increase relative to
starting-point emissions. EQT achieved this net zero status
primarily through emissions abatement, with the remainder offset
with company-generated offsets rather than purchased credits.
Looking ahead, EQT remains committed to continuing its leadership
through its new NetZero Now+ initiative.
EQT's net zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions achievements
have been grounded in substantial operational improvements,
strategic local partnerships and growing, building and acquiring
assets responsibly. EQT's approach focused on significant in-house
emissions reductions that targeted the leading sources of EQT's
emissions, supplemented by carbon offset generation, including:
- Pneumatic Device Replacement: Between June 2021 and December
2022, EQT replaced or retrofitted over 9,000 pneumatic
devices, resulting in an annual reduction of approximately 300,000
MT CO2e.
- Electrification of Frac Fleets: Starting in 2020, EQT
replaced conventional diesel fleets with electric fleets powered by
natural gas-fired turbines using EQT-produced natural gas. This
initiative reduced EQT's carbon footprint by an estimated
35,000-50,000 MT CO2e annually.
- Combo Development: By the end of 2019, EQT implemented
its "combo-development" approach, which applies advanced digital
technologies and long-range well planning to its operational
strategy. This approach improves drilling operations by
approximately 30% and significantly reduces greenhouse gas
emissions.
- Emissions Control Devices on Acquired Alta Assets:
Following the acquisition of Alta Resources, EQT installed
emissions control devices on these assets, eliminating
approximately 35,000 MT CO2e of GHG
emissions from the assets.
- Advanced Methane Monitoring and Mitigation: In 2023, EQT
helped establish the Appalachian Methane Initiative, a world-class
sector and technology-agnostic methane monitoring network designed
to provide greater efficiency in the identification and remediation
of potential fugitive methane emissions from operations in the
Appalachian Basin through coordinated satellite and aerial surveys
on a geographic-basis.
- Local Carbon Offset Projects: EQT developed an
initiative to offset its remaining 2023 Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG
emissions with nature-based carbon sequestration projects in
partnership with the state of West
Virginia. The initiative includes conservation management
practices such as the removal of invasive species, wildfire risk
monitoring, and native tree and shrub placement. These efforts are
verified by West Virginia University,
ensuring both economic and environmental benefits to the
region.
EQT's NetZero Now+ initiative reflects EQT's current achievement
of attaining net zero with respect to its 2023 Scope 1 and Scope 2
GHG emissions, as well as its aspiration to achieve net zero Scope
1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions across all EQT assets in future
years.
Toby Z. Rice, President and CEO
of EQT, said, "In 2019, EQT announced its vision to become the
operator of choice for all stakeholders. As part of our efforts, we
assessed our business and established a climate change strategy
that set a bold emissions reduction goal. At the time of
announcement, this required a reduction or offset of over 600,000
MT CO2e.2 We are proud to reach this historic milestone
as the first traditional energy producer of scale to achieve net
zero."
Rice continued, "This achievement undoubtedly reflects the hard
work of our incredible team to revolutionize our operations to
effectively reduce our emissions while at the same time achieving
peak performance and driving value. However, EQT's becoming the
first traditional energy producer of scale in the world to achieve
this net zero status is thanks to the low-emissions foundation
established within our operating footprint in the Appalachian Basin
— one of the largest, low-cost deposits of traditional energy
in the world."
To learn more about EQT's emissions reduction efforts as well as
its NetZero Now+ initiative,
visit http://www.EQTNetZeroPlus.com.
Investor Contact:
Cameron
Horwitz
Managing Director, Investor Relations & Strategy
Cameron.Horwitz@eqt.com
412.445.8454
Media Contact:
Courtney
Loper
Head of Government Relations and Public Affairs
Courtney.Loper@eqt.com
202.744.3255
About EQT Corporation
EQT Corporation is a premier, vertically integrated American
natural gas company with production and midstream operations
focused in the Appalachian Basin. We are dedicated to responsibly
developing our world-class asset base and being the operator of
choice for our stakeholders. By leveraging a culture that
prioritizes operational efficiency, technology and sustainability,
we seek to continuously improve the way we produce environmentally
responsible, reliable and low-cost energy. We have a longstanding
commitment to the safety of our employees, contractors, and
communities, and to the reduction of our overall environmental
footprint. Our values are evident in the way we operate and in how
we interact each day – trust, teamwork, heart, and evolution are at
the center of all we do. To learn more, visit eqt.com.
Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
This news release contains certain
forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Statements that do not relate
strictly to historical or current facts are forward-looking.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, forward-looking
statements contained in this news release specifically include the
expectations of plans, strategies, objectives and growth and
anticipated operational performance of EQT Corporation and its
subsidiaries (collectively, "EQT"), including EQT's projected
future net emissions; EQT's ability to reduce its future emissions
and/or generate sufficient offsets to sustain net zero Scope 1 and
Scope 2 GHG emissions in future years; and EQT's emissions
reduction initiatives, including its NetZero Now+ initiative.
The forward-looking statements included in this news release
involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from projected results. Accordingly, investors
should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a
prediction of actual results. EQT has based these forward-looking
statements on current expectations and assumptions about future
events, taking into account all information currently known by EQT.
While EQT considers these expectations and assumptions to be
reasonable, they are inherently subject to significant business,
economic, competitive, regulatory and other risks and
uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and beyond
EQT's control. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not
limited to, volatility of commodity prices; the costs and results
of drilling and operations; uncertainties about estimates of
reserves, identification of drilling locations and the ability to
add proved reserves in the future; the assumptions underlying
production forecasts; the quality of technical data; EQT's ability
to appropriately allocate capital and other resources among its
strategic opportunities; access to and cost of capital, including
as a result of rising interest rates, inflation and other economic
uncertainties; EQT's hedging and other financial contracts;
inherent hazards and risks normally incidental to drilling for,
producing, transporting and storing natural gas, natural gas
liquids (NGLs) and oil; cybersecurity risks and acts of sabotage;
availability and cost of drilling rigs, completion services,
equipment, supplies, personnel, oilfield services and sand and
water required to execute EQT's exploration and development plans,
including as a result of supply chain and inflationary pressures;
risks associated with operating primarily in the Appalachian Basin;
the ability to obtain environmental and other permits and the
timing thereof; government regulation or action, including
regulations pertaining to methane and other greenhouse gas
emissions; negative public perception of the fossil fuels industry;
increased consumer demand for alternatives to natural gas;
environmental and weather risks, including the possible impacts of
climate change; risks related to EQT's ability to integrate the
operations of Equitrans Midstream Corporation in a successful
manner and in the expected time period and the possibility that any
of the anticipated benefits and projected synergies of the
Equitrans Midstream Corporation acquisition will not be realized or
will not be realized within the expected time period; and
disruptions to EQT's business due to acquisitions, divestitures and
other strategic transactions, including the Equitrans Midstream
Corporation acquisition. These and other risks are described under
the "Risk Factors" section in EQT's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the year ended December 31, 2023, the
"Risk Factors" section included in Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q
subsequently filed by EQT, and other documents EQT files from time
to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC).
Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on
which such statement is made, and, except as required by law, EQT
does not intend to correct or update any forward-looking statement,
whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
1 References herein to EQT being "net zero" are based
on (i) EQT's 2023 Scope 1 GHG emissions, as reported to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the EPA's Greenhouse
Gas Reporting Program (Subpart W) for the onshore petroleum and
natural gas production segment and the gathering and boosting
segment, plus (ii) EQT's 2023 Scope 2 GHG emissions using
the location-based method and the EPA's Emissions & Generation
Resource Integrated Database's state emission factors for EQT's
operating areas, minus (iii) carbon offsets generated by EQT
during calendar year 2024. EQT's "net zero" claim does not include
Scope 3 GHG emissions or emissions from Equitrans Midstream
Corporation and its related assets, which were recently acquired by
EQT on July 22, 2024.
2 At the time of announcement of EQT's net zero
goal in June 2021, EQT's 2020 Scope 1
Production segment GHG emissions were 599,748 MT CO2e and EQT's
2020 Scope 2 GHG emissions were 2,814
MT CO2e.
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SOURCE EQT Corporation