Northeast Natural Energy’s triple bottom line: certifiably responsible natural gas, zero emissions production, global energy leadership

The path to compliance – and beyond

As the first producer in the world to achieve an A grade in both EO100 and MiQ certifications, the team at Northeast Natural Energy started on the path to certification a few years ago, with the goal of creating a responsibly sourced product that was third-party verified.

As Carney describes, partnering with Kathairos offered Northeast Natural Energy a seamless solution to a serious challenge.

"We realized, as we began to go through the certification process, that we needed to try to remove all pneumatic emissions. The Kathairos system really helped us do that practically. I like to say it’s a simple solution to a difficult problem that just works."

The implementation of Kathairos liquid nitrogen tanks across its assets enabled the company to completely eliminate methane venting from hundreds of pneumatic devices, and in turn, reduce its overall methane intensity by 41% to just 0.016 in 2023.

Remote operations require innovative solutions

"Most of our assets are located in a rural rugged area of West Virginia, with not a lot of road access," said Carney. "It's tough to get large trucks to our sites, and there is very little access to usable power. We needed to come up with methods that fit with that sort of environment, and when we learned the Kathairos system required no power, it was a no brainer for us to pilot the tanks to reduce and remove our pneumatic emissions."

Beyond the need for a reliable, scalable, and effective solution, it also had to be affordable.

"Gas prices in our basin are extremely low right now, and we have to make sure that the economics of our ESG initiatives make sense," said Carney.

"One of the things that attracted us to Kathairos is that it’s not an expensive system to implement."

Is there an obvious and immediate financial ROI on what they do?

"Not necessarily," said Carney. "However, from a relationship standpoint, from a public perception standpoint, making sure we are doing things in this way is invaluable.”

Trailblazing zero emissions in Appalachia

Trusted by its neighbors and admired by its peers, Northeast Natural Energy’s fervent adoption of cutting-edge emissions technologies contributes to its status as a leader in the Appalachian basin.

"We've built the company from scratch to where it sits today as one of the largest producers in the state and in the top tier of all private producers in the United States. That's something that we should all be proud of," said Carney. "But perhaps more important is that we try to do things in a way that’s good for all the people we come into contact with, our employees and investors, the local communities, the fire departments, the school systems, the hospitals, as well as the road infrastructure that have helped improve the state. Those things are much more valuable and make us more proud than simply building a company."

Superior stewardship, superior product

Likewise, Carney is aware that Northeast Natural Energy is one of many producers vying for the same customers to buy its gas.

"There are a lot of eyes on what we do in the Appalachian Basin, which is part of why we have become the gold standard in North America for environmental stewardship."

"We feel that our customers can look at our third-party verified emissions numbers and know that yes, these folks do provide a superior product."

Champions of methane detection, abatement, monitoring and reporting

Equally inspiring is Northeast Natural Energy's uniquely steadfast and simple approach to its voluntary zero emissions commitments.

"As a company we don't really believe in 'net zero,' we just believe in zero," said Carney.

"We are doing our best to eliminate all emissions from all areas of our operations, without doing any kind of carbon accounting to make up the difference. If we can do that, it supports the industries that use our product to make their products and the products that every single person in the world needs and uses, I think that's the next step in this whole process."

With increasingly-stringent federal emissions regulations and rising demand for transparency and accountability from the energy industry, Northeast Natural Energy is confident in its current practices and operational processes, from  detection and measurement to abatement, monitoring and reporting.

Ahead of the game

As for the newly-instituted EPA policies regarding emissions intensities, reporting requirements, and methane tax implications, Northeast Natural Energy is ready.

"Our journey toward MiQ and EO certification allowed us to get a head start when it comes to preparing for what is now in place or what has been put in place by the EPA, with all of the new quad-O regulations and the methane tax," said Carney. "If we are already meeting those standards with our product and the way in which we develop our resources, then we feel there is opportunity in the protocols. Essentially, there is no reason that our fuel can't be the fuel of choice forever."

"When we look at what we have done versus what's required from the EPA, we are not really going to see a lot of effect from the new regulations. We're already doing those things in our daily operations."

Visit northeastnaturalenergy.com to learn more about how BJ Carney and his team are leading the way, every step of the way.

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ABOUT NORTHEAST NATURAL ENERGY Northeast Natural Energy is resolute in practicing business with unsurpassed integrity and skill. We operate from within the basin under an executive team with national experience and Appalachian heritage. Our commitment to precise, focused science and engineering allows us to create the best wells available, and our perseverance in the basin through the most challenging conditions has allowed us to build trust with our neighbors. At Northeast Natural Energy, we are dedicated to the goal of energy independence through the production of efficient, affordable, domestic natural gas. Northeast Natural Energy: a different kind of company, a superior result.

ABOUT KATHAIROS SOLUTIONS INC.
Kathairos has emerged as the leading North American solution for well site methane elimination from pneumatic devices, with thousands of systems in operation across North America in partnership with dozens of major oil and gas producers. Kathairos is proudly committed to solving the problem of methane venting from oil and gas production in the most effective, economical and scalable way, enabling producers to meet ambitious regulatory targets and timelines.

ABOUT THE ENERGY INFLUENCERS
The Energy Influencers storytelling series highlights the emissions reduction successes Kathairos’ producer partners have achieved, as driven by their overall outlook, internal targets and timelines, commitment to industry longevity and new technology adoptions. The series features in-depth videos, interviews and case studies designed to amplify the narrative of progress and the dedicated 'doers’ of sustainable energy production. It embraces a shift toward transparency, openness and exposure to what North America’s forward-thinking oil and gas producers have achieved on their path to decarbonization, and what they’re tackling next.

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