About the Event
Concerns about U.S. energy security, global geopolitical crisis, inflation and emissions control put the Appalachian Basin’s abundant natural gas at the forefront of global energy solutions. Producers are ready to be problem solvers, but will regulators and investors allow Marcellus and Utica shale operators to respond?
Join industry leaders for a compelling agenda and phenomenal networking opportunities. Mingle with top executives from Chesapeake Energy, CNX Resources, EQT Corporation, ExxonMobil and more.
Save the date and plan to join us for the DUG Appalachia Conference & Exhibition, November 29-30, 2023 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Key Topics to be Covered
Join us in November when industry leaders will discuss topics such as:
The World Market- Overview of Natgas Demand
M&A Outlook-What's Pending
Low-Carbon Power Generation
The Capital View
Shale Outlook
LNG Infrastructure
Meet Our Speakers
You’ll hear from speakers representing the most active players, from the financial community to the producers’ C-suites.
Ryan Deaderick
Executive Vice President & COO, Greylock Energy

Jeff Eshelman
President & CEO, IPAA

Mike John
Founder, President & CEO, Northeast Natural Energy

John Johnston
Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer, PennEnergy Resources LLC

L. Poe Leggette
Partner, BakerHostetler

Emily McClain
Vice President, Rystad Energy

Hardy Murchison
CEO, Encino Energy

Toby Z. Rice
President and Chief Executive Officer, EQT Corporation
Agenda
The Appalachian Basin’s more than 35 Bcf/d alone has been the leading contributor to catapulting the U.S. into the world’s No. 1 natgas-supplier position, taking total U.S. production to 100 Bcf/d with some 20 Bcf/d of that going to allies abroad. And expectations are for pipe permitting to be unleashed, eventually un-stranding the full potential of the basin’s CH4 output to more than 60 Bcf/d. As that’s underway, basin leaders seek to continue to upgrade their best practices in managing for price volatility, growing export capacity and green-ing their gas as consumption sources seek greater firm supply and even U.S. economic and defense alliances are in play. The annual DUG Appalachia conference provides stakeholders with a playbook on overcoming both the tasks of today and those of decades to come.
Sweet 16: The Marcellus 2023
Born in 2007, the Marcellus and Utica quickly ramped to today’s nearly 36 Bcf/d. But that’s still only just the beginning of what Appalachia has to offer. Regulators continue to have its potential on a short leash. Hear of takeaway and compression-enhancement work that continues to further un-strand the Appalachian Basin to eventually deliver the more than 60 Bcf/d that is possible.
The Operators' Frac-Side Chat
Basin operators describe their success and plans for their acreage and what potential they have with further advancements in technology, higher natural gas prices and unconstrained takeaway.
Under Assault: Winning In-State And in D.C.
Intrastate and interstate unfriendly fire persists, while officials who do understand that natural gas and other energies sustain life on Earth are embattled against the false prophets and their indoctrinated followers, many of whom are in local, state and federal office. Lobbyists and other experts on energy’s role in America’s economic security and abroad in its peace-maker share their pro tips on how to win, mile by mile and Btu by Btu.
SPEAKER:
Jeff Eshelman, President & CEO, IPAA
Methane Compliance: The Due Date is Near
New emissions rules that are part of the mis-nomered Inflation Reduction Act go into effect in just four weeks. Here’s a primer of federal methane taxation and regulations that industry members are working to address.
SPEAKER:
L. Poe Legette, Co-Head -- Energy Team, Baker & Hostetler LLP
CCUS, Carbon Offsets, Carbon-Lite, Hydrogen: Turning the CH4 into cH4
Operators are deploying all technology available—and promoting ongoing R&D of more tools—to turn Appalachia’s natgas into net-carbon-neutral Btu, with plans to use CCUS, while already gaining RSG certifications and developing carbon offsets. Alt-energy startups are deploying in-basin application for blue hydrogen. Learn more here about advancements.
Agenda Subject to Change
Subject to change
Toby Rice Keynote: From Appalachia to the World: The Natural Gas
“Natural gas is the biggest green initiative on the planet. This is going to bring peace to the world,” says Toby Rice, president and CEO of the largest U.S. independent gas producer, EQT Corp. Here he describes Appalachia’s potential and the further advancements to come.
SPEAKER:
Toby Z. Rice, President and Chief Executive Officer, EQT Corporation
The View from Near and Far: U.S. and Global NatGas Demand
The Marcellus code was cracked in 2007. From there, the Appalachian Basin has grown into the world’s greatest gas field. And this is while choked back to 35 Bcf/d by takeaway constraints. Here’s the assessment of how it has changed U.S. and global hydrocarbon-omics and, with constraints unlocked, why it could further displace allies’ and potential allies’ unfriendly sources of Btu.
The Massive Gas Call: LNG and the 35 Bcf/d Growth, 2024-2027
The Marcellus code was cracked in 2007. From there, the Appalachian Basin has grown into the world’s greatest gas field. And this is while choked back to 35 Bcf/d by takeaway constraints. Here’s the assessment of how it has changed U.S. and global hydrocarbon-omics and, with constraints unlocked, why it could further displace allies’ and potential allies’ unfriendly sources of Btu.
SPEAKER:
Emily McClain, Vice President, Rystad Energy
Midstream: The Big Dig and What MVP Will and Won't Do For The Basin
As the last 20 miles of Mountain Valley Pipeline are underway, another 2 Bcf/d of Marcellus and Utica natgas will be unlocked. Here are the details on the additional big pipe awaiting approval and the outlook for when these miles will get the nod. And what will MVP do or not do to move more gas out of the basin?
Making the Utica New Again: Playing the Phase Fairways
Operators are having great success in the mature-oil phase of the three-phase Ordovician Utica, the oldest deposition of North America’s major resource plays. Here’s the latest on results there as well as in the wet-gas window.
SPEAKER:
Hardy Murchison, CEO, Encino Energy
Surfacing More of the Buried Gas Treasure
D&C and pad automation, frac enhancements, longer laterals, emissions reductions, spacing recipes, ROI and other best practices and outlooks are shared here.
The Producers: Appalachian Economics and the Next-Gen Recipe
Leading producers describe their latest well results, field cost inflation, capacity constraints, emissions mitigation and access to capital as they work to convert molecules into dollars.
SPEAKERS:
Jose Chirinos, Development Planning Manager, Repsol
Ryan Deaderick, Executive Vice President & COO, Greylock Energy
Mike John, Founder, President & CEO, Northeast Natural Energy
John Johnston, Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer, PennEnergy Resources
The M&A: The Bid/Ask for the Appalachian Prize
Deal-making continues, while the bid/ask has seen wild swings since February of 2022 as futures have ranged from $3 to $10 back to $3. Here’s a look at today’s price for Appalachian and other basin’s reserves. And what’s the sweet price spot for the money behind those seeking more of the gas prize?
The Money Wants More For Less
Size matters, including liquidity in trading. And it’s the era of the $10-billion-EV operator. Debt to ebitda is in lockdown. Preferred used to be 1.5x. Now the maximum is less than 1.0x. Shareholders have been in an uproar over even a 0.1x increase in the metric. Hear about what’s in bounds and what’s out of bounds today.
The Big Bifurcation: Huge Versus Small
Smaller operators and startups-to-be are seeing exit opportunities to well-endowed operators. But efforts by small-caps and midcaps with long-life inventory are struggling against the uber-moneyed largest caps and international operators. Spend on emissions compliance and ESG is further fracturing the industry. Learn more here.
More, Please: Meet the Consumers
Industrial, small business and other users of natural gas want more. And powergen that’s seeking to quit coal is finding it hard to get access to natgas, including within and near the Appalachian Basin, one of the world’s largest gas fields. Hear from them.
Agenda Subject to Change
Speakers

Jose Chirinos
TBARepsol
Ryan Deaderick
Executive Vice President & COOGreylock Energy
Jeff Eshelman
President & CEOIPAA
Mike John
Founder, President & CEONortheast Natural Energy
John Johnston
Executive Vice President & Chief Development OfficerPennEnergy Resources LLC
L. Poe Leggette
PartnerBakerHostetler
Emily McClain
Vice PresidentRystad Energy
Hardy Murchison
CEOEncino Energy
Toby Z. Rice
President and Chief Executive OfficerEQT CorporationAdvisory Council
Hart Energy LIVE is moving in a strategic direction by getting industry input to drive the conversation for each event. In order to ensure our content is not only relative to you and your peers, but also timely, a new initiative for 2023 has been to establish Conference Advisory Councils made up of industry leaders, game changers and drivers. We are grateful to our Conference Advisory Council members for their contribution to not only this industry and its success, but their expertise to drive the conference agenda to a more robust and thoughtful direction.

Nissa Darbonne
Executive Editor-at-LargeHart Energy

Jeff Eshelman
President & CEOIPAA

Franc James
Chairman & CEOPenn America Energy

Poe Leggette
Co-Head of the Energy TeamBaker Hostetler

Emily McClain
Vice President - North America Gas MarketsRystad Energy

Jay Salitza
Managing DirectorKeyBanc Capital Markets

Ray Walker
COOEncino