Best Management Practices (BMPs) are advanced and constantly evolving and improving protective measures applied to natural gas and oil drilling and production activities to help ensure energy development is safe and conducted in an environmentally responsible manner. BMPs protect wildlife, air quality, water and landscapes as we work to develop vitally needed domestic energy sources. Chesapeake, along with other leading energy companies, works continuously to evolve and improve new techniques and approaches to business to fully develop our domestic onshore energy resources.

BMPs play a key role in environmental stewardship for all industries, not just natural gas and oil. If environmental and operating issues were simple, one set of well-developed BMPs would apply for the entire industry regardless of site location. However, each area and potential wellsite or pipeline has its own unique characteristics requiring BMPs specifically tailored to local conditions. A one-size-fits-all, universal approach to BMPs is not practical and risks falling short of appropriate environment protections.

We strive to utilize our BMPs throughout the entire life cycle of a well, from site selection through site reclamation. And we recognize that everyone – employees, contractors and vendors alike – plays an important role in meeting our environmental protection commitments.

Some BMPs are as simple as strategically placing a berm, or land barrier, on locations to control surface water runoff, while others involve cutting-edge operational technologies such as utilizing the most advanced technologies offered in drilling fluids and casing and cement design. All are based on the idea that Chesapeake seeks to make our environmental footprint of energy as small and temporary as possible. We take pride in regularly implementing state-of-the-art technology and BMPs resulting from the efforts of our experienced scientists, engineers, geologists and chemists, as well as numerous other industry professionals.