Item 1. Business

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Item 1. Business

General

We are a natural gas production company with operations focused in the Marcellus and Utica Shales of the Appalachian Basin. Based on average daily sales volume, we are the largest producer of natural gas in the United States. As of December 31, 2021, we had 25.0 Tcfe of proved natural gas, NGLs and crude oil reserves across approximately 2.0 million gross acres, including approximately 1.7 million gross acres in the Marcellus play.

Strategy

We are committed to responsibly developing our world-class asset base and being the operator of choice for all stakeholders. By promoting a culture that prioritizes operational efficiency, technology and sustainability, we seek to continuously improve the way we produce environmentally responsible, reliable low-cost energy. We measure sustainability through our best-in-class team and culture, ESG-focused operations, substantial inventory of core drilling locations and strong balance sheet. We believe that the scale and contiguity of our acreage position differentiates us from our Appalachian Basin peers and that our evolution into a modern, digitally-enabled exploration and production business enhances our strategic advantage.

Our operational strategy focuses on the successful execution of combo-development projects. Combo-development refers to the development of several multi-well pads in tandem. Combo-development generates value across all levels of the reserves development process by maximizing operational and capital efficiencies. In the drilling stage, rigs spend more time drilling and less time transitioning to new sites. Advanced planning, a prerequisite to pursuing combo-development, facilitates the delivery of bulk hydraulic fracturing sand and piped fresh water (as opposed to truck-transported water), the ability to continuously meet completions supply needs and the use of environmentally friendly technologies. Operational efficiencies realized from combo-development are passed on to our service providers, which reduces overall contract rates.

The benefits of combo-development extend beyond financial gains to include environmental and social interests. We have developed an integrated ESG program that interplays with our combo-development-driven operational strategy. Core tenets of our ESG program include investing in technology and human capital; improving data collection, analysis and reporting; and engaging with stakeholders to understand, and align our actions with, their needs and expectations. Combo-development, when compared to similar production from non-combo-development operations, translates into fewer trucks on the road, decreased fuel usage, shorter periods of noise pollution, fewer areas impacted by midstream pipeline construction and shortened duration of site operations, all of which fosters a greater focus on safety and environmental protection.

Combo-development projects require significant advanced planning, including the establishment of a large, contiguous leasehold position; the advanced acquisition of regulatory permits and sourcing of fracturing sand and water; the timely verification of midstream connectivity; and the ability to quickly respond to internal and external stimuli. Without a modern, digitally-connected operating model or an acreage position that enables operations of this scale, combo-development would not be possible.

We believe that our proprietary digital work environment in conjunction with the size and contiguity of our asset base uniquely position us to execute on a multi-year inventory of combo-development projects in our core acreage position. Our operational strategy employs this differentiation to advance our mission of being the operator of choice for all stakeholders. We believe that combo-development projects are key to delivering sustainably low well costs and higher returns on invested capital and that our long-term transformative plan has been designed to create value by leveraging our strategic advantage, both operational and environmental, over our peers.

We believe our business model is sustainable and we expect to generate significant free cash flow over the next six years. Our capital allocation plan is focused on reducing our debt and leverage, while also returning capital to shareholders through a combination of dividends and a share repurchase program. We are focused on achieving and maintaining investment grade credit metrics as well as regaining our investment grade credit rating in the near term, which will allow us to capture a lower cost of capital and enhance shareholder returns.

2021 Highlights

Achieved 2021 sales volume of 1,858 Bcfe, average daily sales volume of 5.1 Bcfe per day; received an average realized price of $2.50 per Mcfe.
Increased 2021 total proved reserves by 5.2 Tcfe, or 26%, compared to 2020.
Acquired strategic assets located in the Appalachian Basin from Alta Resources Development, LLC for total consideration of $2,925 million (the Alta Acquisition).
Realized a meaningful reduction of gathering and transmission expense on a per Mcfe basis of $0.05 and $0.06, respectively, during 2021 compared to 2020.
Achieved credit ratings upgrades from S&P, Moody's and Fitch.
Extended the term of our credit facility and reduced outstanding letters of credit under our credit facility by $351 million.
Obtained Equitable Origin and MiQ Certifications for a majority of our natural gas.

Outlook

In 2022, we expect to spend approximately $1.30 to $1.45 billion in total capital expenditures, excluding amounts attributable to noncontrolling interest. We expect to allocate the planned capital expenditures as follows: approximately $1.0 to $1.1 billion to fund reserve development, approximately $110 to $130 million to fund land and lease acquisitions, approximately $120 to $160 million to fund other production infrastructure and approximately $55 to $75 million applied towards capitalized overhead. Our 2022 capital expenditure program is expected to deliver sales volume of 1,950 to 2,050 Bcfe.

In December 2021, we reaffirmed our commitment to attaining investment grade credit metrics and outlined a leverage and debt reduction strategy with the goal of reducing total debt by at least $1.5 billion by the end of 2023. In addition, we announced our plan to return capital to shareholders, which included the commencement of a share repurchase program, under which we are authorized to repurchase $1.0 billion of our outstanding common stock, and the reinstatement of a quarterly cash dividend at an annual rate of $0.50 per share of our common stock starting in the first quarter of 2022. Our capital allocation plan is focused on maintaining production volumes. We have aligned our hedge strategy in a manner that we believe will mitigate the risk of volatility of future natural gas and NGLs prices, which will enable us to execute on our capital expenditure, debt reduction and shareholder return strategy.

Our revenues, earnings, liquidity and ability to grow are substantially dependent on the prices we receive for, and our ability to develop our reserves of, natural gas, NGLs and oil. Due to the volatility of commodity prices, we are unable to predict future potential movements in the market prices for natural gas, NGLs and oil at our ultimate sales points and, thus, cannot predict the ultimate impact of prices on our operations. Changes in natural gas, NGLs and oil prices could affect, among other things, our development plans, which would increase or decrease the pace of the development and the level of our reserves, as well as our revenues, earnings or liquidity. Lower prices and changes in our development plans could also result in non-cash impairments in the book value of our oil and gas properties or downward adjustments to our estimated proved reserves. Any such impairments or downward adjustments to our estimated reserves could potentially be material to us.

See "Impairment of Oil and Gas Properties" and "Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates" included in Item 7., "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" for a discussion of our accounting policies and significant assumptions related to accounting for gas, NGLs and oil producing activities and our accounting policies and processes related to impairment reviews for proved and unproved property.

Segment and Geographical Information

Our operations consist of one reportable segment. We have a single, company-wide management team that administers all properties as a whole rather than by discrete operating segments. We measure financial performance as a single enterprise and not on an area-by-area basis. Substantially all of our assets and operations are located in the Appalachian Basin.

Reserves

The following tables summarize our proved developed and undeveloped natural gas, NGLs and crude oil reserves using average first-day-of-the-month closing prices for the prior twelve months and disaggregated by product and play. Substantially all of our reserves reside in continuous accumulations.


	December 31, 2021
	Natural Gas	NGLs and Crude Oil	Total

	(Bcf)	(MMbbl)	(Bcfe)
Proved developed reserves	16,152	178	17,219
Proved undeveloped reserves	7,372	62	7,743
Total proved reserves	23,524	240	24,962


	December 31, 2021
	Marcellus	Upper Devonian	Ohio Utica	Other	Total

	(Bcfe)
Proved developed reserves	15,528	806	787	98	17,219
Proved undeveloped reserves	7,733	—	10	—	7,743
Total proved reserves	23,261	806	797	98	24,962

The following table summarizes our proved developed and undeveloped reserves using average first-day-of-the-month closing prices for the prior twelve months and disaggregated by state.


	December 31, 2021
	Pennsylvania	West Virginia	Ohio	Total

	(Bcfe)
Proved developed producing reserves	12,642	3,292	781	16,715
Proved developed non-producing reserves	375	123	6	504
Proved undeveloped reserves	5,085	2,648	10	7,743
Total proved reserves	18,102	6,063	797	24,962

Gross proved undeveloped drilling locations	279	146	5	430
Net proved undeveloped drilling locations	195	118	1	314

Our 2021 total proved reserves increased by 5.2 Tcfe, or 26%, compared to 2020 due to acquisitions of 4,187 Bcfe from the Alta Acquisition and Reliance Asset Acquisition (defined in Note 6 to the Consolidated Financial Statements) and extensions, discoveries and other additions of 3,104 Bcfe, partly offset by production of 1,858 Bcfe and revisions to previous estimates of 274 Bcfe.

Our 2021 proved undeveloped reserves increased by 1,582 Bcfe, or 26%, compared to 2020. The following table provides a rollforward of our proved undeveloped reserves.


			Proved Undeveloped Reserves

			(Bcfe)
Balance at January 1, 2021			6,161
Conversions into proved developed reserves			(1,634)
Acquisition of in-place reserves			1,217
Revision of previous estimates (a)			(881)
Extensions, discoveries and other additions (b)			2,880
Balance at December 31, 2021			7,743

(a)Composed of (i) negative revisions of 819 Bcfe from proved undeveloped locations that are no longer expected to be developed within five years of initial booking as proved reserves as a result of changes to our development plan to support the continued implementation of our combo-development strategy; and (ii) negative revisions of 62 Bcfe due primarily to changes in working interests and net revenue interests.

(b)Composed of (i) 2,828 Bcfe from proved undeveloped additions associated with acreage that was previously unproved but became proved due to 2021 reserve development that expanded the number of our proven locations, implementation of, and alignment with, our combo-development strategy and additions to our five-year drilling plan; and (ii) 52 Bcfe from the extension of lateral lengths of proved undeveloped reserves.

As of December 31, 2021, we had zero wells with proved undeveloped reserves that had remained undeveloped for more than five years from their time of booking.

See Note 18 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion of the preparation of, and year-over-year changes in, our reserves estimate and calculation of the standardized measure of estimated future net cash flows from natural gas and crude oil reserves.

As of December 31, 2021, the standardized measure of our estimated future net cash flows from natural gas and crude oil reserves, which is calculated using average first-day-of-the-month closing prices for the prior twelve months (referred to as SEC pricing), was $17,281 million, as described in Note 18 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. If the prices used in the calculation of the standardized measure instead reflected five-year strip pricing as of December 31, 2021 and held constant thereafter using (i) the NYMEX five-year strip adjusted for regional differentials using Texas Eastern Transmission Corp. M-2, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line, Leidy Line, and Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co., Zone 4-300 Leg for gas and (ii) the NYMEX WTI five-year strip for oil, adjusted for regional differentials consistent with those used in the standardized measure, and holding all other assumptions constant, our total proved reserves would be 24,913 Bcfe, the standardized measure of our discounted net future cash flows after taxes of our proved reserves would be $16,059 million and the discounted future net cash flows before taxes would be $19,672 million. The average realized product prices weighted by production over the remaining lives of the properties would be $46.84 per barrel of oil, $27.22 per barrel of NGLs and $2.448 per Mcf of gas (compared to $51.57 per barrel of oil, $29.95 per barrel of NGLs and $2.694 per Mcf of gas using SEC pricing, as described in Note 18 to the Consolidated Financial Statements).

The NYMEX strip price proved reserves and related metrics are intended to illustrate reserve sensitivities to market expectations of commodity prices and should not be confused with SEC pricing proved reserves and do not comply with SEC pricing assumptions. We believe that the presentation of reserve volume and related metrics using NYMEX forward strip prices provides investors with additional useful information about our reserves because the forward prices are based on the market's forward-looking expectations of oil and gas prices as of a certain date. The price at which we can sell our production in the future is the major determinant of the likely economic producibility of our reserves. We hedge certain amounts of future production based on futures prices. In addition, we use such forward-looking market-based data in developing our drilling plans, assessing our capital expenditure needs and projecting future cash flows. While NYMEX strip prices represent a consensus estimate of future pricing, such prices are only an estimate and not necessarily an accurate projection of future oil and gas prices. Actual future prices may vary significantly from the NYMEX prices; therefore, actual revenue and value generated may be more or less than the amounts disclosed. Investors should be careful to consider forward prices in addition to, and not as a substitute for, SEC pricing, when considering our reserves.

Based on our mix of proved undeveloped and probable reserves, we estimate that we have an undeveloped drilling inventory of approximately 2,400 net locations in the Pennsylvania and West Virginia Marcellus Shale. At our current drilling pace, these net locations provide more than 20 years of drilling inventory based on net undeveloped Marcellus acres, average expected lateral length of 12,000 feet and well spacing of 1,000 feet. We believe that our combo-development strategy, coupled with our undeveloped inventory located in a premier core asset base, will lead to sustainable free cash flow generation and higher returns on invested capital.

The following table summarizes our capital expenditures for reserve development.


	Years Ended December 31,
	2021		2020		2019

	(Millions)
Marcellus	$	788	$	737	$	1,184
Utica	40		102		193
Total	$	828	$	839	$	1,377

For the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, lease operating costs, excluding production taxes were $0.07, $0.07 and $0.06, respectively.

Properties

The majority of our acreage is held by lease or occupied under perpetual easements or other rights acquired, for the most part, without warranty of underlying land titles. Approximately 28% of our total gross acres is developed. We retain deep drilling rights on the majority of our acreage.

The following table summarizes our acreage disaggregated by state.


	December 31, 2021
	Pennsylvania		West Virginia		Ohio		Total

Total gross productive acreage	396,356		117,972		51,109		565,437
Total gross undeveloped acreage	938,848		364,456		124,151		1,427,455
Total gross acreage	1,335,204		482,428		175,260		1,992,892

Total net productive acreage	336,228		123,734		38,589		498,551
Total net undeveloped acreage	805,349		319,486		108,443		1,233,278
Total net acreage	1,141,577		443,220		147,032		1,731,829

Average net revenue interest of proved developed reserves (a)	59.8	%	82.0	%	48.9	%	62.5	%

(a)As of December 31, 2021, the average net revenue interest of proved developed reserves was 30.9% for northeastern Pennsylvania and 79.0% for southwestern Pennsylvania.

We have an active lease renewal program in areas targeted for development. In the event that production is not established or we do not extend or renew the terms of our expiring leases, 57,361, 36,799 and 31,123 of our net undeveloped acreage as of December 31, 2021 will expire in the years ending December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively.

The following tables summarize our productive and in-process natural gas wells. We had no productive or in-process oil wells as of December 31, 2021.


			December 31, 2021

Productive wells:
Total gross			4,527
Total net			3,510
In-process wells:
Total gross			282
Total net			248


	December 31, 2021
	Pennsylvania	West Virginia	Ohio	Total

Total gross productive wells (a)	3,543	710	274	4,527
Total net productive wells	2,693	677	140	3,510

(a)Of our total gross productive wells, there are 610 gross conventional wells in Pennsylvania and 3 gross conventional wells in West Virginia. We have no gross conventional wells in Ohio.

We drilled 99, 120 and 145 net productive development wells during the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. During the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, we drilled zero net dry development, net productive exploratory and net dry exploratory wells.

During 2021, we commenced drilling operations (spud) on 96 gross wells (67 net), composed of 50 Pennsylvania Marcellus gross wells (34 net), 41 West Virginia Marcellus gross wells (32 net) and 5 Ohio Utica gross wells (1 net).

Our sales volume in 2021 from the Marcellus Shale was 1,685 Bcfe. The following table summarizes our produced and sold volume by state.


	Pennsylvania	West Virginia	Ohio	Total

	(MMcfe)
Produced and sold natural gas, NGLs and oil for the years ended December 31,
2021	1,422,294	271,747	163,776	1,857,817
2020	1,051,869	267,708	178,215	1,497,792
2019	1,001,973	274,378	231,545	1,507,896

Markets and Customers

Natural Gas Sales. Natural gas is a commodity and, therefore, we typically receive market-based pricing for our produced natural gas. The market price for natural gas in the Appalachian Basin is typically lower relative to NYMEX Henry Hub, Louisiana (the location for pricing NYMEX natural gas futures) as a result of increased supply of natural gas in the Northeast United States. To protect cash flow from undue exposure to the risk of changing commodity prices, we hedge a portion of our forecasted natural gas production at, for the most part, NYMEX natural gas prices. We also enter into derivative instruments to hedge basis. For information on our hedging strategy and our derivative instruments, refer to "Commodity Risk Management" in Item 7., "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," Item 7A., "Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk" and Note 3 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

NGLs Sales. We primarily sell NGLs recovered from our natural gas production. We primarily contract with MarkWest Energy Partners, L.P. (MarkWest) to process our natural gas and extract from the produced natural gas heavier hydrocarbon streams (consisting predominately of ethane, propane, isobutane, normal butane and natural gasoline). We also contract with MarkWest to market a portion of our NGLs. In addition, we have contractual arrangements with Williams Ohio Valley Midstream LLC to process our natural gas and market a portion of our NGLs.

Average Sales Price. The following table presents our average sales price per unit of natural gas, NGLs and oil, with and without the effects of cash settled derivatives, as applicable.


	Years Ended December 31,
	2021		2020		2019

Natural gas ($/Mcf):
Average sales price, excluding cash settled derivatives	$	3.54	$	1.73	$	2.48
Average sales price, including cash settled derivatives	2.38		2.37		2.65
NGLs, excluding ethane ($/Bbl):
Average sales price, excluding cash settled derivatives	$	44.50	$	20.51	$	23.63
Average sales price, including cash settled derivatives	32.18		20.39		25.82
Ethane ($/Bbl):
Average sales price, excluding cash settled derivatives	$	8.85	$	3.48	$	6.16
Average sales price, including cash settled derivatives	8.85		3.48		7.18
Oil ($/Bbl):
Average sales price	$	56.82	$	25.57	$	40.90
Natural gas, NGLs and oil ($/Mcfe):
Average sales price, excluding cash settled derivatives	$	3.66	$	1.77	$	2.51
Average sales price, including cash settled derivatives	2.50		2.37		2.69

For additional information on pricing, see "Average Realized Price Reconciliation" in Item 7., "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."

Natural Gas Marketing. EQT Energy, LLC, our indirect, wholly-owned marketing subsidiary, provides marketing services and contractual pipeline capacity management services primarily for our benefit. EQT Energy, LLC also engages in risk management and hedging activities to limit our exposure to shifts in market prices.

Customers. We sell natural gas and NGLs to marketers, utilities and industrial customers located in the Appalachian Basin and in markets that are accessible through our transportation portfolio, particularly where there is expected future demand growth, such as in the Gulf Coast, Midwest and Northeast United States and Canada. As of December 31, 2021, approximately 50% of our sales volume reaches markets outside of Appalachia. We do not depend on any single customer and believe that the loss of any one customer would not have an adverse effect on our ability to sell our natural gas, NGLs and oil.

We have access to approximately 3.0 Bcf per day of firm pipeline takeaway capacity and 0.9 Bcf per day of firm processing capacity. In addition, we are committed to an initial 1.29 Bcf per day of firm capacity on the Mountain Valley Pipeline upon its in-service date. These firm transportation and processing agreements may require minimum volume delivery commitments, which we expect to principally fulfill with production from existing reserves.

During 2021, we entered into a long-term asset management agreement with an investment grade entity, pursuant to which, we agreed to deliver and sell up to 525,000 Dth of natural gas per day to the investment grade entity for a period of up to six years while managing and using our committed capacity on the Mountain Valley Pipeline upon its in-service date. The asset management agreement is subject to currently unsatisfied conditions; therefore, its impacts have been excluded from the schedule of total gross commitments summarized in the table below.

We have contractually agreed to deliver firm quantities of gas and NGLs to various customers, which we expect to fulfill with production from existing reserves. We regularly monitor our proved developed reserves to ensure sufficient availability to meet commitments for the next one to three years. The following table summarizes our total gross commitments as of December 31, 2021.


	Natural Gas	NGLs

	(Bcf)	(Mbbl)
Years Ending December 31,
2022	1,425	7,123
2023	936	1,825
2024	717	1,830
2025	464	1,825
2026	403	600
Thereafter	2,663	—

Seasonality

Generally, but not always, the demand for natural gas decreases during the summer months and increases during the winter months. Seasonal anomalies such as mild winters or summers may also impact demand.

Competition

Other natural gas producers compete with us in the acquisition of properties; the search for, and development of, reserves; the production and sale of natural gas and NGLs; and the securing of services, labor, equipment and transportation required to conduct operations. Our competitors include independent oil and gas companies, major oil and gas companies, individual producers, operators and marketing companies and other energy companies that produce substitutes for the commodities that we produce.

Regulation

Regulation of our Operations. Our exploration and production operations are subject to various federal, state and local laws and regulations, including regulations related to the following: the location of wells; the method of drilling, well construction, well stimulation, hydraulic fracturing and casing design; water withdrawal and procurement for well stimulation purposes; well production; spill prevention plans; the use, transportation, storage and disposal of fluids and materials incidental to oil and gas operations; surface usage and the reclamation of properties upon which wells or other facilities have been located; the plugging and abandoning of wells; the calculation, reporting and disbursement of royalties and taxes; and the gathering of production in certain circumstances. These regulations, and any delays in obtaining related authorizations, may affect the costs and timing of developing our natural gas resources.

Our operations are also subject to conservation and correlative rights regulations, including the following: regulation of the size of drilling and spacing units or field rule units; setbacks; the number of wells that may be drilled in a unit or in close proximity to other wells; drilling in the vicinity of coal mining operations and certain other structures; and the unitization or pooling of natural gas properties. Ohio and, for Utica or other deep wells, West Virginia allow the statutory pooling or unitization of tracts to facilitate development and exploration. In West Virginia, we must rely on voluntary pooling of lands and leases for Marcellus acreage. In Pennsylvania, lease integration legislation authorizes joint development of existing contiguous leases. In addition, state conservation and oil and gas laws generally limit the venting or flaring of natural gas. Various states also impose certain regulatory requirements to transfer wells to third parties or discontinue operations in the event of divestitures by us.

We maintain limited gathering operations that are subject to various federal and state environmental laws and local zoning ordinances, including the following: air permitting requirements for compressor station and dehydration units and other permitting requirements; erosion and sediment control requirements for compressor station and pipeline construction projects; waste management requirements and spill prevention plans for compressor stations; various recordkeeping and reporting requirements for air permits and waste management practices; compliance with safety regulations, including regulations by the Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration; and siting and noise regulations for compressor stations. These regulations may increase the costs of operating existing pipelines and compressor stations and increase the costs of, and the time to develop, new or expanded pipelines and compressor stations.

In 2010, Congress adopted comprehensive financial reform legislation that established federal oversight and regulation of the OTC derivative market and entities, such as us, that participate in that market. The legislation, known as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Dodd-Frank Act), required the CFTC, the SEC and other regulatory agencies to promulgate rules and regulations implementing this legislation. Among other things, the Dodd-Frank Act established margin requirements and requires clearing and trade execution practices for certain categories of swaps and may result in certain market participants needing to curtail their derivative activities. Although some of the rules necessary to implement the Dodd-Frank Act have yet to be adopted, regulators have issued numerous rules under the Dodd-Frank Act, including a rule establishing an "end-user" exception to mandatory clearing (End-User Exception), a rule requiring the posting of margin for certain uncleared swaps (Margin Rule) and a rule imposing federal position limits on certain futures contracts relating to energy products, including natural gas (Position Limits Rule).

We qualify as a "non-financial entity" for purposes of the End-User Exception and, as such, we are eligible for such exception. As a result, our hedging activities are not subject to mandatory clearing or the margin requirements imposed in connection with mandatory clearing, although we are subject to certain recordkeeping and reporting obligations associated with such rule. We also qualify as a "non-financial end user" for purposes of the Margin Rule; therefore, our uncleared swaps are not subject to regulatory margin requirements. Finally, we believe that the majority, if not all, of our hedging activities constitute bona fide hedging under the Position Limits Rule and are not materially impacted by the limitations under such rule. However, many of our hedge counterparties and other market participants are not eligible for the End-User Exception, are subject to mandatory clearing and the Margin Rule for swaps with some or all of their other swap counterparties, and may be subject to the Position Limits Rule, which may affect the pricing and/or availability of derivatives for us. In addition, the European Union and other non-U.S. jurisdictions have enacted laws and regulations related to derivatives which apply to our transactions with counterparties subject to such foreign regulations.

Regulators periodically review or audit our compliance with applicable regulatory requirements. We anticipate that compliance with existing laws and regulations governing current operations will not have a material adverse effect upon our capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position. Additional proposals that affect the oil and gas industry are regularly considered by Congress, the states, regulatory agencies and the courts. We cannot predict when or whether any such proposals may become effective or the effect that such proposals may have on us.

The following is a summary of some of the existing laws, rules and regulations to which our business operations are subject.

Natural Gas Sales and Transportation. The availability, terms and cost of transportation significantly affect sales of oil and natural gas. The interstate transportation and sale for resale of oil and natural gas is subject to federal regulation, including regulation of the terms, conditions and rates for interstate transportation, storage and various other matters, primarily by the FERC. Federal and state regulations govern the price and terms for access to oil and natural gas pipeline transportation. The FERC's regulations for interstate oil and natural gas transportation in some circumstances may also affect the intrastate transportation of oil and natural gas.

Historically, federal legislation and regulatory controls have affected the price of the natural gas we produce and the manner in which we market our production. The FERC has jurisdiction over the transportation and sale for resale of natural gas in interstate commerce by natural gas companies under the Natural Gas Act of 1938 (NGA) and the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978. Various federal laws enacted since 1978 have resulted in the removal of all price and non-price controls for sales of domestic natural gas sold in first sales, which include all of our sales of our own production. Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the FERC has substantial enforcement authority to prohibit the manipulation of natural gas markets and enforce its rules and orders, including the ability to assess substantial civil penalties of over $1.3 million per day for each violation and disgorgement of profits associated with any violation. While our production activities have not been regulated by the FERC as a natural gas company under the NGA, we are required to report aggregate volume of natural gas purchased or sold at wholesale to the extent such transactions use, contribute to or may contribute to the formation of price indices. In addition, Congress may enact legislation or the FERC may adopt regulations that may subject certain of our otherwise non-FERC jurisdictional facilities to further regulation. Failure to comply with those regulations in the future could subject us to civil penalties.

The CFTC also holds authority to monitor certain segments of the physical, futures and other derivatives with respect to energy commodities markets, including natural gas, NGLs and oil. With regard to physical purchases and sales of natural gas and other energy commodities, and any related hedging activities that we undertake, we are thus required to observe anti-market manipulation and disruptive trading practices laws and related regulations enforced by the CFTC. The CFTC also holds substantial enforcement authority, including the ability to assess civil penalties.

The FERC also regulates interstate natural gas transportation rates and service conditions and establishes the terms under which we may use interstate natural gas pipeline capacity, which affects the marketing of natural gas that we produce, as well as the revenues we receive for sales of natural gas and release of our natural gas pipeline capacity. Commencing in 1985, the FERC promulgated a series of orders, regulations and rule makings that significantly fostered competition in the business of transporting and marketing gas. Today, interstate pipeline companies are required to provide non-unduly discriminatory transportation services to producers, marketers and other shippers, regardless of whether such shippers are affiliated with an interstate pipeline company. The FERC's initiatives have led to the development of a competitive, open access market for natural gas purchases and sales that permits all purchasers of natural gas to buy gas directly from third-party sellers other than pipelines. However, the natural gas industry historically has been very heavily regulated; therefore, we cannot guarantee that the less stringent regulatory approach currently pursued by the FERC and Congress will continue indefinitely into the future nor can we determine what effect, if any, future regulatory changes might have on our natural gas-related activities.

Under the FERC's current regulatory regime, transportation services must be provided on an open-access, nondiscriminatory basis at cost-based rates or negotiated rates, both of which are subject to FERC approval. The FERC also allows jurisdictional natural gas pipeline companies to charge market-based rates if the transportation market at issue is sufficiently competitive. Gathering service, which occurs upstream of FERC-jurisdictional transmission services, is regulated by the states onshore and in state waters. Section 1(b) of the NGA exempts natural gas gathering facilities from regulation by the FERC as a natural gas company under the NGA. Although the FERC has set forth a general test for determining whether facilities perform a non-jurisdictional gathering function or a jurisdictional transmission function, the FERC's determinations as to the classification of facilities are done on a case-by-case basis. To the extent that the FERC issues an order that reclassifies certain jurisdictional transmission facilities as non-jurisdictional gathering facilities, and, depending on the scope of that decision, our costs of transporting natural gas to point of sale locations may increase. We believe that the third-party natural gas pipelines on which our gas is gathered meet the traditional tests the FERC has used to establish a pipeline's status as a gatherer not subject to regulation as a natural gas company. However, the distinction between the FERC-regulated transportation services and federally unregulated gathering services could be subject to potential litigation, so the classification and regulation of those gathering facilities are subject to change based on future determinations by the FERC, the courts or Congress. State regulation of natural gas gathering facilities generally includes various occupational safety, environmental and, in some circumstances, nondiscriminatory-take requirements. Although such regulation has not generally been affirmatively applied by state agencies, natural gas gathering may receive greater regulatory scrutiny in the future.

Oil and NGLs Price Controls and Transportation Rates. Sales prices of oil and NGLs are not currently regulated and are made at market prices. Our sales of these commodities are, however, subject to laws and regulations issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) prohibiting manipulative or fraudulent conduct in the wholesale petroleum market. The FTC holds substantial enforcement authority under these regulations, including the ability to assess civil penalties of over $1.2 million per day per violation. Our sales of these commodities, and any related hedging activities, are also subject to CFTC oversight and enforcement authority as discussed above.

The price we receive from the sale of our produced oil and NGLs may be affected by the cost of transporting the products to market. Some of our transportation of oil and NGLs is through FERC-regulated interstate common carrier pipelines. Effective as of January 1, 1995, the FERC implemented regulations generally grandfathering all previously approved interstate transportation rates and establishing an indexing system for those rates by which adjustments are made annually based on the rate of inflation, subject to certain conditions and limitations. The FERC's regulation of crude oil and NGLs transportation rates may tend to increase the cost of transporting crude oil and NGLs by interstate pipelines, although the annual adjustments may result in decreased rates in a given year. Every five years, the FERC must examine the relationship between the annual change in the applicable index and the actual cost changes experienced in the oil pipeline industry. The FERC's five-year index level for 2021–2026 went into effect on July 1, 2021. In January 2022, the FERC issued an order on rehearing, lowering the index level and directing oil pipelines to recompute their ceiling levels for July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022 to ensure compliance with the new index level.

Environmental, Health and Safety Regulation. Our business operations are also subject to numerous stringent federal, state and local environmental, health and safety laws and regulations pertaining to, among other things, the release, emission or discharge of materials into the environment; the generation, storage, transportation, handling and disposal of certain materials, including solid and hazardous wastes; the safety of employees and the general public; pollution; site remediation; and preservation or protection of human health and safety, natural resources, wildlife and the environment. We must take into account environmental, health and safety regulations in, among other things, planning, designing, constructing, operating and plugging and abandoning wells and related facilities. Violations of these laws can result in substantial administrative, civil and criminal penalties. These laws and regulations may require us to acquire permits before drilling or other regulated activity commences; restrict the types, quantities and concentrations of various substances that can be released into the environment in connection with drilling and production; govern the sourcing and disposal of water used in the drilling and completion process; limit or prohibit drilling activities in certain areas and on certain lands lying within wilderness, wetlands and other protected areas or areas with endangered or threatened species restrictions; require some form of remedial action to prevent, remediate or mitigate pollution from operations, such as plugging abandoned wells or closing earthen pits; establish specific safety and health criteria addressing worker protection; and impose substantial liabilities for pollution resulting from operations or failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations. In addition, these laws and regulations may restrict the rate of production.

Moreover, the trend has been for stricter regulation of activities that have the potential to affect the environment. Additional proposals and proceedings that affect the oil and natural gas industry are regularly considered by Congress, federal agencies, the states, local governments and the courts. We cannot predict when or whether any such proposals may become effective. Therefore, we are unable to predict the future costs or impact of compliance. The regulatory burden on the industry increases the cost of doing business and affects profitability. We have established procedures, however, for the ongoing evaluation of our operations to identify potential environmental exposures and to track compliance with regulatory policies and procedures.

The following is a summary of the more significant environmental and occupational health and workplace safety laws and regulations, as amended from time to time, to which our business operations are subject and for which compliance may have a material adverse impact on our financial condition, earnings or cash flows.

Hazardous Substances and Waste Handling. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as the "Superfund" law, and comparable state laws impose liability, without regard to fault or the legality of the original conduct, on certain classes of persons that are considered to have contributed to the release of a "hazardous substance" into the environment. These persons include the current and past owner or operator of the disposal site or the site where the release occurred and companies that disposed or arranged for the disposal of the hazardous substances at the site where the release occurred. Under CERCLA, such persons may be subject to joint and several strict liability for the costs of cleaning up the hazardous substances that have been released into the environment and for damages to natural resources, and it is not uncommon for neighboring landowners and other third parties to file claims for personal injury and property damage allegedly caused by the hazardous substances released into the environment. In addition, despite the "petroleum exclusion" of Section 101(14) of CERCLA, which currently encompasses crude oil and natural gas, we generate materials in the course of our operations that may be regulated as hazardous substances based on their characteristics; however, we are unaware of any liabilities arising under CERCLA for which we may be held responsible that would materially and adversely affect us.

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and analogous state laws establish detailed requirements for the generation, handling, storage, treatment and disposal of nonhazardous and hazardous solid wastes. RCRA specifically excludes drilling fluids, produced waters and other wastes associated with the exploration, development or production of crude oil, natural gas or geothermal energy from regulation as hazardous wastes. However, these wastes may be regulated by the EPA, or state agencies under RCRA's less stringent nonhazardous solid waste provisions, or under state laws or other federal laws. Moreover, it is possible that these particular oil and natural gas exploration, development and production wastes now classified as nonhazardous solid wastes could be classified as hazardous wastes in the future. In April 2019, following litigation and a resulting consent decree related to the EPA's requirements under RCRA to review oil and gas waste regulations, the EPA determined that revisions to the regulations were not required, concluding that any adverse effects related to oil and gas waste were more appropriately and readily addressed within the framework of existing state regulatory programs. Any changes to state or federal programs could result in an increase in our costs to manage and dispose waste, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

We currently own, lease or operate numerous properties that have been used for oil and natural gas exploration and production activities for many years. Although we believe that we have used operating and waste disposal practices that were standard in the industry at the time, hazardous substances, wastes or petroleum hydrocarbons may have been released on, under or from the properties owned or leased by us, or on, under or from other locations, including offsite locations, where such substances have been taken for recycling or disposal. In addition, some of our properties have been operated by third parties or by previous owners or operators whose treatment and disposal of hazardous substances, wastes or petroleum hydrocarbons was not under our control. We are able to control directly the operation of only those wells with respect to which we act or have acted as operator. The failure of a prior owner or operator to comply with applicable environmental regulations may, in certain circumstances, be attributed to us as current owner or operator under CERCLA. These properties and the substances disposed or released on, under or from them may be subject to CERCLA, RCRA and analogous state laws. Under such laws, we could be required to undertake response or corrective measures, regardless of fault, which could include removal of previously disposed substances and wastes, clean-up of contaminated property or performance of remedial plugging or waste pit closure operations to prevent future contamination.

Water Discharges. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, known as the Clean Water Act (CWA), and comparable state laws impose restrictions and strict controls regarding the discharge of pollutants, including produced waters and other oil and natural gas wastes, into federal and state waters. The discharge of pollutants into regulated waters is prohibited, except in accordance with the terms of a permit issued by the EPA or a state equivalent agency. The discharge of dredge and fill material in regulated waters, including wetlands, is also prohibited, unless authorized by a permit issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). In June 2015, the EPA and the Corps issued a rule defining the scope of the EPA's and the Corps' jurisdiction over waters of the United States (WOTUS), which never took effect before being replaced by the Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR) in December 2019. A coalition of states and cities, environmental groups, and agricultural groups challenged the NWPR, which was vacated by a federal district court in August 2021. The EPA is undergoing a rulemaking process to redefine the definition of waters of the United States; in the interim, the EPA is using the pre-2015 definition. In addition, in an April 2020 decision further defining the scope of the CWA, the U.S. Supreme Court held that, in certain cases, discharges from a point source to groundwater could fall within the scope of the CWA and require a permit. The Court rejected the EPA and Corps' assertion that groundwater should be totally excluded from the CWA. To the extent a new rule or further litigation expands the scope of the CWA's jurisdiction, we could face increased costs and delays with respect to obtaining permits for dredge and fill activities in wetland areas, which could delay the development of our natural gas and oil projects. Also, pursuant to these laws and regulations, we may be required to obtain and maintain approvals or permits for the discharge of wastewater or stormwater and to develop and implement spill prevention, control and countermeasure (SPCC) plans in connection with on-site storage of significant quantities of oil. These laws and any implementing regulations provide for administrative, civil and criminal penalties for any unauthorized discharges of oil and other substances and may impose substantial potential liability for the costs of removal, remediation and natural resource and other damages.

Air Emissions. Through the federal Clean Air Act (CAA) and comparable state and local laws and regulations, the EPA regulates emissions of various air pollutants through the issuance of permits and the imposition of other requirements. The EPA has developed, and continues to develop, stringent regulations governing emissions of air pollutants at specified sources. New facilities may be required to obtain permits before work can begin, and modified and existing facilities may be required to obtain additional permits.

In June 2016, the EPA finalized regulations establishing New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), known as Subpart OOOOa, for methane and volatile organic compounds (VOC) from new and modified oil and natural gas production and natural gas processing and transmission facilities. In September 2020, the EPA finalized two sets of amendments to the 2016 Subpart OOOOa standards. The first, known as the 2020 Technical Rule, reduced the 2016 rule's fugitive emissions monitoring requirements and expanded exceptions to pneumatic pump requirements, among other changes. The second, known as the 2020 Policy Rule, rescinded the methane-specific requirements for certain oil and natural gas sources in the production and processing segments. On January 20, 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order directing the EPA to rescind the 2020 Technical Rule by September 2021 and consider revising the 2020 Policy Rule. On June 30, 2021, President Biden signed a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution passed by Congress that revoked the 2020 Policy Rule. The CRA did not address the 2020 Technical Rule.

Further, on November 15, 2021, the EPA issued a proposed rule intended to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas sources. The proposed rule would make the existing regulations in Subpart OOOOa more stringent and create a Subpart OOOOb to expand reduction requirements for new, modified and reconstructed oil and gas sources, including standards focusing on certain source types that have never been regulated under the CAA, including intermittent vent pneumatic controllers and associated gas and liquids unloading facilities. In addition, the proposed rule would establish "Emissions Guidelines," creating a Subpart OOOOc that would require states to develop plans to reduce methane emissions from existing sources that must be at least as effective as presumptive standards set by the EPA. Under the proposed rule, states would have three years to develop their compliance plan for existing sources and the regulations for new sources would take effect immediately upon issuance of a final rule. The EPA is expected to issue both a supplemental proposed rule, which may expand or modify the current proposed rule, and final rule by the end of 2022.

As a result of these regulatory changes, the scope of any final methane regulations or the costs for complying with federal methane regulations are uncertain. We may incur costs as necessary to remain in compliance with these regulations. Obtaining or renewing permits also has the potential to delay the development of oil and natural gas projects. Federal and state regulatory agencies can impose administrative, civil and criminal penalties and seek injunctive relief for non-compliance with air permits or other requirements of the CAA and associated state laws and regulations.

Climate Change and Regulation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions. In December 2015, the 21st Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change resulted in nearly 200 countries, including the United States, coming together to develop the Paris Agreement, which calls for the signatories to the agreement to undertake "ambitious efforts" to limit increases in the average global temperature. Although the agreement does not create any binding obligations for nations to limit their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it does include pledges to voluntarily limit or reduce future emissions. On June 1, 2017, President Trump announced that the U.S. would withdraw from the Paris Agreement and completed the process of withdrawing from the Paris Agreement on November 4, 2020. However, on January 20, 2021, President Biden issued written notification to the United Nations of the U.S.'s intention to rejoin the Paris Agreement, which became effective on February 19, 2021. In addition, in September 2021, President Biden publicly announced the Global Methane Pledge, a pact that aims to reduce global methane emissions to at least 30% below 2020 levels by 2030. Since its formal launch at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), over 100 countries have joined the pledge.

On November 3, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives passed budget reconciliation bill H.R. 5376, known as the Build Back Better Act. The House version of the bill includes a provision targeting methane emissions from oil and gas sources by proposing to implement fees for excess methane leaking from wells, storage sites and pipelines as well as fees for new producing and non-producing oil and gas leases and off-shore pipelines. It is unclear whether the Build Back Better Act will be passed in its current form by the U.S. Senate.

Additionally, a number of state and regional efforts have emerged that are aimed at tracking and/or reducing GHG emissions by means of cap-and-trade programs that typically require major sources of GHG emissions, such as electric power plants, to acquire and surrender emission allowances in return for emitting GHGs. In October 2019, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed an Executive Order directing the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) to draft regulations establishing a cap-and-trade program under its existing authority to regulate air emissions, with the intent of enabling Pennsylvania to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a multi-state regional cap-and-trade program comprised of several Eastern U.S. states. In September 2020, the Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board (EQB) approved promulgation of the RGGI regulation, and a public comment period and hearings regarding the regulation commenced at the end of 2020. In September 2021, Pennsylvania's Independent Regulatory Review Commission adopted a regulation approving Pennsylvania's participation in RGGI; however, in October 2021 the Pennsylvania Senate approved a resolution to block the state's participation in RGGI, and such resolution was subsequently approved by the Pennsylvania House in December 2021. On January 10, 2022, Governor Wolf vetoed the Senate's resolution, and as a result, it is likely that Pennsylvania will join RGGI in 2022 unless the Pennsylvania legislature overrides the Governor's veto by the vote of two-thirds of the members of each of the Pennsylvania House and Senate. In the event that Pennsylvania ultimately becomes a member of RGGI, it will result in increased operating costs if we are required to purchase emission allowances in connection with our operations.

Any legislation or regulatory programs at the federal, state or city levels designed to reduce GHG emissions could increase the cost of consuming, and thereby reduce demand for, the natural gas, NGLs and oil we produce. Consequently, legislation and regulatory programs to reduce emissions of GHGs could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Although it is not possible at this time to predict how legislation or new regulations that may be adopted to address GHG emissions would impact our business, any such future laws and regulations imposing reporting obligations on, or imposing a tax or fee or otherwise limiting emissions of GHGs from, our equipment and operations could require us to incur costs to comply with such regulations. Substantial limitations or fees on GHG emissions could also adversely affect demand for the natural gas, NGLs and oil we produce and lower the value of our reserves.

Notwithstanding potential risks related to climate change, the International Energy Agency estimates that natural gas will continue to represent a major share of global energy use through 2040, and other private sector studies project continued growth in demand for the next two decades. Nonetheless, recent activism directed at shifting funding away from fossil fuel companies could result in limitations or restrictions on certain sources of funding for the sector. Moreover, activist shareholders have introduced proposals that may seek to force companies to adopt aggressive emission reduction targets or to shift away from more carbon-intensive activities. While we cannot predict the outcomes of such proposals, they could ultimately make it more difficult to engage in exploration and production activities.

Finally, it should be noted that some scientists have concluded that increasing concentrations of GHGs in the Earth's atmosphere may produce climate changes that have significant physical effects, such as increased frequency and severity of storms, floods, droughts and other extreme climatic events. If any such effects were to occur, they have the potential to cause physical damage to our assets or affect the availability of water and thus could have an adverse effect on our exploration and production operations.

Hydraulic Fracturing Activities. Vast quantities of natural gas deposits exist in shale and other formations. It is customary in our industry to recover natural gas from these shale formations through the use of hydraulic fracturing, combined with sophisticated horizontal drilling. Hydraulic fracturing is the process of creating or expanding cracks, or fractures, in formations underground where water, sand and other additives are pumped under high pressure into a shale gas formation. These deeper formations are geologically separated and isolated from fresh ground water supplies by overlying rock layers. Our well construction practices include installation of multiple layers of protective steel casing surrounded by cement that are specifically designed and installed to protect freshwater aquifers. To assess water sources near our drilling locations, we conduct multiple pre-drill samplings for all water sources within 3,000 feet of our sites and post-drill samplings for sources within 1,500 feet of our sites.

Hydraulic fracturing typically is regulated by state oil and natural gas agencies, but the EPA has asserted federal regulatory authority pursuant to the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) over certain hydraulic fracturing activities involving the use of diesel fuels and has prohibited the discharge of wastewater from hydraulic fracturing operations to publicly owned wastewater treatment plants. Congress has from time to time considered legislation to provide for federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing under the SDWA and to require disclosure of the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process. At the state level, several states have adopted or are considering legal requirements that could impose more stringent permitting, disclosure and well construction requirements on hydraulic fracturing activities. For example, in January 2020, the EQB approved a well permit fee increase from $5,000 to $12,500 for all unconventional wells. Local governments also may seek to adopt ordinances within their jurisdictions regulating the time, place and manner of drilling activities in general or hydraulic fracturing activities in particular. Some states and municipalities have sought to ban hydraulic fracturing altogether. If new or more stringent federal, state or local legal restrictions relating to the hydraulic fracturing process are adopted in areas where we operate, we could incur potentially significant added costs to comply with such requirements, experience delays or curtailment in the pursuit of exploration, development or production activities, and perhaps even be precluded from constructing wells.

Occupational Safety and Health Act. We are also subject to the requirements of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) and comparable state laws that regulate the protection of the health and safety of employees. In addition, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration's (OSHA) hazard communication standard, the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act and implementing regulations and similar state statutes and regulations require us to maintain information about hazardous materials used or produced in our operations and that this information be provided to employees, state and local government authorities, and citizens.

Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) provides for the protection of endangered and threatened species. Pursuant to the ESA, if a species is listed as threatened or endangered, restrictions may be imposed on activities adversely affecting that species' habitat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) may designate critical habitat and suitable habitat areas that it believes are necessary for survival of a threatened or endangered species. In August 2019, the FWS and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issued three rules amending implementation of the ESA regulations revising, among other things, the process for listing species and designating critical habitat. A coalition of states and environmental groups have challenged the three rules and litigation remains pending. In addition, in December 2020, the FWS amended its regulations governing critical habitat designations; the amended regulations are subject to ongoing litigation. In June 2021, the FWS and the NMFS announced plans to begin rulemaking processes to rescind these rules. Protections similar to the ESA are offered to migratory birds under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), which makes it illegal to, among other things, hunt, capture, kill, possess, sell, or purchase migratory birds, nests, or eggs without a permit. This prohibition covers most bird species in the U.S. In January 2021, the Department of the Interior finalized a rule limiting application of the MBTA; however, the Department of the Interior revoked the rule in October 2021 and issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking seeking comment on the Department's plan to develop regulations that authorize incidental taking under certain prescribed conditions. Future implementation of the rules implementing the ESA and the MBTA are uncertain. A critical habitat or suitable habitat designation could result in further material restrictions to federal land use and may materially delay or prohibit access to protected areas for natural gas development. Further, the designation of previously unprotected species as threatened or endangered in areas where underlying property operations are conducted could cause us to incur increased costs arising from species protection measures or could result in limitations on our exploration and production activities that could have an adverse impact on our ability to develop and produce reserves.

See Note 16 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for a description of expenditures related to environmental matters.

Human Capital Resources

As of December 31, 2021, we had 693 permanent employees, none of whom were subject to a collective bargaining agreement. Of our total permanent employee base, 75% were male and 25% were female. Approximately 70% of our permanent employees worked remotely, with 93% residing in Pennsylvania or West Virginia.

We aim to develop a workforce that produces peer leading results. To further that goal, we have focused on creating a modern, innovative, collaborative and digitally-enabled work environment. In 2019, we simplified our organizational structure and instituted a cloud-based digital work environment with an emphasis on the democratization of data. Our digital work environment serves as our primary platform for communication and collaboration as well as the home for our critical work processes and drives decision-making based on a shared and transparent view of operational data. We use our digital work environment to engage directly with our employees by sharing company updates and personnel accomplishments as well as to solicit suggestions and comments from all employees. We believe that this helps promote real-time feedback and a greater degree of employee engagement, which lays the foundation for the success of our remote workforce.

We understand that providing employees with the resources and support they need to live a physically, mentally and financially healthy life is critical for sustaining a workplace of choice. We offer benefits that include subsidized health insurance, a company contribution and company match on 401(k) retirement savings, an employee stock purchase plan, paid maternity and paternity leave, flexible work arrangements, volunteer time off and a company match on employee donations to qualified non-profits. We also offer our employees the flexibility to elect to work a "9/80" work schedule, under which, during the standard 80-hour pay period, an employee works eight 9-hour days and one 8-hour day (Friday), with a tenth day off (alternative Friday).

In 2020, we launched an "equity-for-all" program, pursuant to which, in 2021, we granted equity awards to all of our permanent employees. In 2022, we continued our equity-for-all program by granting equity awards to all permanent employees. With the equity-for-all program, all of our permanent employees become owners of EQT and have the opportunity to share directly in our financial success. Equity-for-all grants are in addition to, and not in lieu of, the existing compensation opportunities for our employees.

Availability of Reports and Other Information

We make certain filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and all amendments and exhibits to those reports, available free of charge through our investor relations website, http://ir.eqt.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with or furnished to the SEC. Reports filed with the SEC are also available on the SEC's website, http://www.sec.gov.

We use our Twitter account, @EQTCorp, our Facebook account, @EQTCorporation, and our LinkedIn account, EQT Corporation, as additional ways of disseminating information that may be relevant to investors.

We generally post the following to our investor relations website shortly before or promptly following its first use or release: financially-related press releases, including earnings releases and supplemental financial information; various SEC filings; presentation materials associated with earnings and other investor conference calls or events; and access to live and recorded audio from earnings and other investor conference calls or events. In certain cases, we may post the presentation materials for other investor conference calls or events several days prior to the call or event. For earnings and other conference calls or events, we generally include within our posted materials a cautionary statement regarding forward-looking and non-GAAP financial information as well as non-GAAP to GAAP financial information reconciliations (if available). Such GAAP reconciliations may be in materials for the applicable presentation, in materials for prior presentations or in our annual, quarterly or current reports.

In certain circumstances, we may post information, such as presentation materials and press releases, to our corporate website, www.EQT.com, or our investor relations website to expedite public access to information regarding EQT in lieu of making a filing with the SEC for first disclosure of the information. When permissible, we expect to continue to do so without also providing disclosure of this information through filings with the SEC.

Where we have included internet addresses in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we have included those internet addresses as inactive textual references only. Except as specifically incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K, information on those websites is not part hereof.

Composition of Operating Revenues

The following table presents total operating revenues for each class of our products and services.


	Years Ended December 31,
	2021		2020		2019

	(Thousands)
Operating revenues:
Sales of natural gas, natural gas liquids and oil	$	6,804,020	$	2,650,299	$	3,791,414
(Loss) gain on derivatives not designated as hedges	(3,775,042)		400,214		616,634
Net marketing services and other	35,685		8,330		8,436
Total operating revenues	$	3,064,663	$	3,058,843	$	4,416,484

Jurisdiction and Year of Formation

We are a Pennsylvania corporation formed in 2008 in connection with a holding company reorganization of the former Equitable Resources, Inc.

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