Apache Corp. has ended routine flaring in its US onshore operations, achieving one of its 2021 ESG goals three months ahead of schedule.
“In early 2021, we set out to eliminate routine flaring in US onshore operations as part of our broader efforts to continuously reduce our environmental footprint. We established an aggressive goal, and I am proud to announce we have achieved the goal ahead of schedule,” said John J. Christmann IV, CEO and president of Apache’s parent company, APA Corporation. “I’m grateful for our dedicated team, who has been working diligently to make this happen. We attained the goal through a concentrated effort, which included communicating clear objectives along with adding compression and optimizing facilities so more gas could enter the gathering system for sale. Future wells will not be brought online without adequate gas takeaway capacity.”
Prior to 2021, Apache’s majority-owned midstream company, Altus Midstream, invested more than US$850 million in two new natural gas pipelines, and Apache made firm transportation commitments on both pipelines to help underwrite and ensure construction of that infrastructure. APA believes this capacity investment was an important and necessary element to move gas to market, thus significantly reducing the practice of flaring for operators throughout the Permian Basin.
“Our collective challenge as an industry is reducing emissions while continuing to deliver the energy the world needs. We are committed to the responsible production of natural gas and oil and helping to elevate people around the globe to higher standards of living,” added Christmann.
In 2021, APA announced new ESG goals that tie directly to incentive compensation for all employees and are aligned with the company’s ESG focus areas of air, water, communities, and people. A cornerstone of the 2021 ESG goals was the elimination of routine flaring in US onshore operations by the end of 2021. APA is also tracking ahead of other US onshore environmental goals this year, including overall flaring intensity of less than 1% of gas produced and limiting freshwater consumption to less than 20% of total water use.
Apache was founded in the United States in 1954 and has operated across different basins of the country throughout its history. Since 1992, its corporate headquarters has been in Houston. The company’s US operations and interests are primarily focused in the Permian Basin but also include assets in the Eagle Ford shale and Austin Chalk areas of Southeast Texas, the Gulf Coast, and the Gulf of Mexico.
As of December 31, 2020, the company has more than 7000 wells covering a gross acreage position of 4.9 million acres (1.9 million ha) with exposure to numerous plays primarily located in the Midland Basin, the Central Basin Platform/Northwest Shelf, and the Delaware Basin.
