Seneca Resources Co. LLL, the Exploration and Production segment of National Fuel Gas Co., announced on Jan. 11 that it has achieved certification of 100% of its Appalachian natural gas production, over 1 billion cubic feet of daily gross production, under Equitable Origin’s EO100 Standard for Responsible Energy Development, a series of rigorous ESG performance targets.

As part of the certification process, a team of accredited auditors from Geosyntec, representing a variety of technical and social backgrounds, conducted an independent, third-party audit of Seneca’s Pennsylvania operations to assess its alignment to the five principles of the EO100 Standard, including corporate governance and ethics, social impacts, human rights and community engagement, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, occupational health, safety and fair labor standards, and environmental impacts, biodiversity, and climate change.

Audit activities included a thorough examination of Seneca Resources’ documented programs, a field assessment of its operations, and 30 interviews with internal and external stakeholders.

Soledad Mills, CEO, Equitable Origin said, “We are delighted to announce that Seneca has achieved EO100 certification of its Appalachian operations, demonstrating its social and environmental responsibility as well as a commitment to continuous improvement. Seneca’s certification will expand the supply of certified natural gas that the market demands.”

“Seneca’s Equitable Origin certification validates our long-standing culture and history of environmental responsibility and community engagement,” said Justin Loweth, President of Seneca Resources. “We will continue to embrace new technologies and implement best practices in order to remain on the leading edge of the industry’s sustainability initiatives. In addition, as we look ahead, we expect that the certification of Seneca’s entire Appalachian natural gas base will differentiate our responsibly sourced, low methane-intensity production with end-users and commercial markets.”