WASHINGTON — Antero Resources Corporation has consented to pay $3.8 million in fines and invest additional millions in pollution control measures as part of a proposed settlement addressing alleged breaches of federal and state air pollution regulations at oil and gas facilities in West Virginia and Ohio.
The agreement, revealed on Friday by the U.S. Department of Justice alongside the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, responds to allegations that the Denver-based energy firm did not adequately capture and manage air emissions from numerous production sites.
According to the proposed consent decree, Antero will allocate around $5.8 million to evaluate and enhance vapor control systems at 242 oil and gas production sites throughout the two states. These upgrades are anticipated to decrease emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by over 1,100 tons annually.
VOCs are known to contribute to the development of ground-level ozone and can pose health risks to the public.
Federal and state authorities have claimed that Antero breached the Clean Air Act and West Virginia’s Air Pollution Control Act by not sufficiently designing, operating, and maintaining equipment meant to capture emissions from storage tanks at its facilities. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state discovered these alleged violations during field inspections carried out in 2017 and 2019.
As part of the settlement, Antero will introduce advanced monitoring systems aimed at identifying pressure irregularities or equipment failures that could result in emissions releases. This system will automatically notify company staff and temporarily stop production when tank pressure exceeds specified limits or if a combustion control device’s pilot light goes out. Production will only recommence once the issue has been addressed.
The agreement mandates that a third party verify Antero’s adherence to the terms.
Alongside the civil penalty — which will be divided between the federal government and West Virginia — the company will initiate two additional projects aimed at further lowering emissions. Antero plans to invest $1.5 million over three years to seal and restore orphaned and abandoned oil and gas wells in West Virginia. Additionally, the company has committed to enhancing its well unloading processes to capture or manage gas that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.
Antero Resources is a publicly listed company involved in the exploration and extraction of natural gas, natural gas liquids, and oil within the Appalachian Basin, focusing mainly on the Marcellus and Utica shale formations. The company oversees more than 500,000 acres in this area.
