Chesapeake pursues more responsibly-sourced gas

US shale company Chesapeake Energy said July 14 that it would seek certification that its gas production was responsibly sourced in terms of methane emissions.

Chesapeake said it agreed to work with MiQ, a non-profit group looking at market-based approaches to methane abatement, and Equitable Origin, an organisation that sets standards for responsibly-sourced natural gas in terms of other environmental social and governance criteria.

"Leading a responsible energy future is core to Chesapeake's values, and this partnership marks another important step as we advance our focus on differentially lowering our methane and greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity in pursuit of achieving our pledge to reach net-zero direct emissions,” Mike Wichterich, the chairman of the board at Chesapeake, said.

Chesapeake said it would first focus on gas production across its holdings along the US Gulf Coast, where certified natural gas could be ready by year’s end, and then the Appalachia basin, where the certified gas could be available by the second quarter of 2022. The company said this makes it the first to seek such certification across two major US shale basins.

“Chesapeake has pledged to reduce methane intensity to 0.09% by 2025, and MiQ Certification will provide a verified approach to tracking this commitment, as well as support Chesapeake in its overall objective of achieving net-zero direct greenhouse gas emissions by 2035,” the company said.

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas.

Chesapeake in April pledged to work with Project Canary to pilot responsibly-sourced natural gas production at select well pads in the Marcellus and Haynesville shale basins.

The initial agreement between Chesapeake and Project Canary includes select well pads in northeast Pennsylvania and northwest Louisiana, though the partnership may be expanded based on initial findings and market conditions.