Item 2. Properties
Item 2 Properties
General Information on Facilities
The net investment of the Company in property, plant and equipment was $7.3 billion at September 30, 2023. The Exploration and Production segment constitutes 35.0% of this investment, and is primarily located in the Appalachian region of the United States. Approximately 52.8% of the Company's investment in net property, plant and equipment was in the Utility and Pipeline and Storage segments , whose operations are located primarily in western and central New York and western Pennsylvania. The Gathering segment constitutes 12.2% of the Company’s investment in net property, plant and equipment, and is located in northwestern and central Pennsylvania. During the past five years, the Company has made significant additions to property, plant and equipment in order to expand its exploration and production and gathering operations in the Appalachian region of the United States and to expand and modernize transmission, storage, and distribution facilities for customers in New York and Pennsylvania. Net property, plant and equipment has increased $2.3 billion, or 46.7%, since September 30, 2018. The five year increase is net of impairments of oil and gas producing properties recorded in 2020 and 2021 ($449 million and $76 million, respectively).
The Exploration and Production segment had a net investment in property, plant and equipment of $2.6 billion at Se ptember 30, 2023 consisting primarily of capitalized costs relating to oil and gas producing
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activities, the components of which are disclosed in Item 8, Note N — Supplementary Information for Oil and Gas Producing Activities.
The Pipeline and Storage segment had a net investment of $2.1 billion in property, plant and equipment at September 30, 2023. Transmission pipeline represents 35% of this segment’s total net investment and includes 2,246 miles of pipeline utilized to move large volumes of gas throughout its service area. Storage facilities represent 13% of this segment’s total net investment and consist of 385 miles of pipeline, as well as 29 storage fields operating at a combined working gas level of 77.2 Bcf, three of which are jointly owned and operated with other interstate gas pipeline companies. Net investment in storage facilities includes $82.2 million of gas stored underground-noncurrent, representing the cost of the gas utilized to maintain pressure levels for normal operating purposes as well as gas maintained for system balancing and other purposes, including that needed for no-notice transportation service. The Pipeline and Storage segment has 31 compressor stations with 260,008 installed horsepower that represent 31% of this segment’s total net investment in property, plant and equipment.
The Pipeline and Storage segment's facilities provided the capacity to meet Supply Corporation’s 2023 peak day sendout for transportation service of 2,360 MMcf, which occurred on February 3, 2023. Withdrawals from storage of 505 MMcf provided approximately 21% of the requirements on that day.
The Gathering segment had a net investment of $0.9 billion i n property, plant and equipment at September 30, 2023. Gathering lines and related compressor stations represent substantially all of this segment’s total net investment, including 376 miles of pipelines utilized to move Appalachian production (including Marcellus and Utica shales) to various transmission pipeline receipt points. The Gathering segment has 24 compressor stations with 124,256 installed horsepower.
The Utility segment had a net investment in property, plant and equipment of $1.7 billion at September 30, 2023. The net investment in its gas distribution networ k (including 15,052 miles of distribution pipeline) and its service connections to customers represent approximately 49% and 32%, respectively, of the Utility segment’s net investment in property, plant and equipment at September 30, 2023.
Company maps are included in Exhibit 99.2 of this Form 10-K and are incorporated herein by reference.
Exploration and Production Activities
The Company is engaged in the exploration for and the development of natural gas reserves i n the Appalachian region of the United States. The Company's development activities in the Appalachian region are focused primarily in the Marcellus and Utica shales. Further discussion of oil and gas producing activities is included in Item 8, Note N — Supplementary Information for Oil and Gas Producing Activities. Note N sets forth proved developed and undeveloped reserve information for Seneca. The September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021 reserves shown in Note N are valued using an unweighted arithmetic average of the first day of the month oil and gas prices for each month within the twelve-month period prior to the end of the reporting period. The reserves were estimated by Seneca’s petroleum engineers and were audited by independent petroleum engineers from Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. Note N discusses the qualifications of the Company's petroleum engineers, internal controls over the reserve estimation process and audit of the reserve estimates and changes in proved developed and undeveloped oil and natural gas reserves year over year.
Seneca's proved developed and undeveloped natural gas reserves increased fr om 4,171 Bcf at September 30, 2022 to 4,535 Bcf at September 30, 2023. This increase is attributed to extensions and discoveries of 670 Bcf, purchases of minerals in place of 34 Bcf, and revisions of previous estimates of 32 Bcf, partially offset by production of 372 Bcf. Upward revisions of 94 Bcf are mainly attributed to positive performance improvements and adding back one PUD location. The additions and upward revisions were partially offset by downward revisions of 62 Bcf from the removal of seven PUD locations related to pad layout changes and price-related revisions. The Company has no near term plans to develop the reserves at these PUD locations.
Seneca’s proved developed and undeveloped oil reserves decreased from 250 Mbbl at September 30, 2022 to 216 Mbbl at September 30, 2023. The decrease was attributed to current year production of 30 Mbbl and downward revisions of previous estimates of 4 Mbbl.
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On a Bcfe basis, Seneca’s proved developed and undeveloped reserves increased from 4,172 Bcfe at September 30, 2022 to 4,536 Bcfe at September 30, 2023. This increase is attributed to extensions and discoveries of 670 Bcfe, purchases of minerals in place of 34 Bcfe and net upward revisions of previous estimates of 32 Bcfe, partially offset by production of 372 Bcfe.
Seneca's proved developed and undeveloped natural gas reserves increased from 3,723 Bcf at September 30, 2021 to 4,171 Bcf at September 30, 2022. This increase was attributed to extensions and discoveries of 838 Bcf and revisions of previous estimates of 3 Bcf, partially offset by production of 343 Bcf. Upward revisions included 3 Bcf of price-related revisions and 13 Bcf of revisions related to positive performance improvements including reduced operating expenses. The additions and upward revisions were partially offset by divestures of 50 Bcf as well as downward revisions of 13 Bcf from the removal of one PUD location related to pad layout changes. The Company has no near term plans to develop the reserves at this PUD location.
Seneca’s proved developed and unde veloped oil reserves decreased from 21,537 Mbbl at September 30, 2021 to 250 Mbbl at September 30, 2022. The decrease of 21,287 Mbbl was attributed to production of 1,604 Mbbl and the sale of Seneca's West Coast region (i.e., California) assets of 20,766 Mbbl. These decreases were partially offset by positive performance revisions of 787 Mbbl and extensions and discoveries of 296 Mbbl.
On a Bcfe basis, Seneca’s proved developed and undeveloped reserves increased from 3,853 Bcfe at September 30, 2021 to 4,172 Bcfe at September 30, 2022. This increase was attributed to extensions and discoveries of 839 Bcfe and upward revisions of previous estimates of 8 Bcfe, partially offset by production of 353 Bcfe and divestures, primarily from the sale of the West Coast region (i.e., California) assets, of 175 Bcfe.
At September 30, 2023 , the Company’s Exploration and Production segment had delivery commitments for natural gas productio n of 2,147 Bcf. The Company expects to meet those commitments through the future production of reserves that are currently classified as proved reserves and future extensions and discoveries.
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The following is a summary of certain oil and gas information taken from Seneca’s records.
Production
For The Year Ended September 30
2023 2022 2021
United States
Appalachian Region
Average Sales Price per Mcf of Gas $ 2.78 (1) $ 5.03 (1) $ 2.46 (1)
Average Sales Price per Barrel of Oil $ 75.64 $ 97.82 $ 48.02
Average Sales Price per Mcf of Gas (after hedging) $ 2.55 $ 2.69 $ 2.22
Average Sales Price per Barrel of Oil (after hedging) $ 75.64 $ 97.82 $ 48.02
Average Production (Lifting) Cost per Mcf Equivalent of Gas and Oil Produced
$ 0.68 (1) $ 0.68 (1) $ 0.67 (1)
Average Production per Day (in MMcf Equivalent of Gas and Oil Produced)
1,020 (1) 936 (1) 856 (1)
West Coast Region
Average Sales Price per Mcf of Gas N/A (2) $ 10.03 $ 6.34
Average Sales Price per Barrel of Oil N/A (2) $ 94.06 $ 60.50
Average Sales Price per Mcf of Gas (after hedging) N/A (2) $ 10.03 $ 6.34
Average Sales Price per Barrel of Oil (after hedging) N/A (2) $ 70.53 $ 56.55
Average Production (Lifting) Cost per Mcf Equivalent of Gas and Oil Produced
N/A (2) $ 4.83 $ 3.74
Average Production per Day (in MMcf Equivalent of Gas and Oil Produced)
N/A (2) 39 (2) 41
Total Company
Average Sales Price per Mcf of Gas $ 2.78 $ 5.05 $ 2.49
Average Sales Price per Barrel of Oil $ 75.64 $ 94.10 $ 60.49
Average Sales Price per Mcf of Gas (after hedging) $ 2.55 $ 2.71 $ 2.25
Average Sales Price per Barrel of Oil (after hedging) $ 75.64 $ 70.80 $ 56.54
Average Production (Lifting) Cost per Mcf Equivalent of Gas and Oil Produced
$ 0.68 $ 0.81 $ 0.82
Average Production per Day (in MMcf Equivalent of Gas and Oil Produced)
1,020 966 897
(1) Average sales prices per Mcf of gas reflect sales of gas in the Marcellus and Utica Shale fields. The Marcellus Shale fields (which exceed 15% of total reserves at September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021) contributed 521 MMcfe, 574 MMcfe and 597 MMcfe of daily production in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The average lifting costs (per Mcfe) were $0.73 in 2023, $0.71 in 2022 and $0.70 in 2021. The Utica Shale fields (which exceed 15% of total reserves at September 30, 2023, 2022 and 2021) contributed 495 MMcfe, 357 MMcfe and 255 MMcfe of daily production in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The average lifting costs (per Mcfe) were $0.62 in 2023, $0.63 in 2022 and $0.62 in 2021.
(2) West Coast region properties were sold at June 30, 2022. Information for the year ended September 30, 2023 is not applicable (N/A) as a result of the sale.
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Productive Wells
Appalachian
Region
At September 30, 2023 Gas Oil
Productive Wells — Gross 1,006 —
Productive Wells — Net 891 —
Developed and Undeveloped Acreage
At September 30, 2023 Appalachian
Region
Developed Acreage
— Gross 661,478
— Net 650,278
Undeveloped Acreage
— Gross 728,389
— Net 671,676
Total Developed and Undeveloped Acreage
— Gross 1,389,867
— Net 1,321,954 (1)
(1) Of the 1,321,954 Total Developed and Undeveloped Net Acreage in the Appalachian region as of September 30, 2023, there are a total of 1,250,077 net acres in Pennsylvania. Of the 1,250,077 total net acres in Pennsylvania, shale development in the Marcellus, Utica or Geneseo shales has occurred on approximately 134,414 net acres, or 11% of Seneca’s total net acres in Pennsylvania. Developed Acreage in the table reflects previous development activities in the Upper Devonian formation, but does not include the potential for development beneath this formation in areas of previous development, which includes the Marcellus, Utica and Geneseo shales.
As of September 30, 2023, the aggregate amounts of gross undeveloped acreage expiring under lease in the next three years and thereafter are as follows: 20,858 acres in 2024 (19,108 net acres), 11,176 acres in 2025 (10,180 net acres), 15,389 acres in 2026 (14,219 net acres) and 211,719 acres thereafter (193,090 net acres). The remaining 469,247 gross acres (435,079 net acres) represent non-expiring oil and gas rights owned by the Company. Of the acreage that is currently scheduled to expire in 2024, 2025 and 2026, Seneca has 352.2 Bcf of associated proved undeveloped gas reserves. As a part of its management approved development plan, Seneca generally commences development of these reserves prior to the expiration of the leases and/or proactively extends/renews these leases.
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Drilling Activity
Productive Dry
For the Year Ended September 30 2023 2022 2021 2023 2022 2021
United States
Appalachian Region
Net Wells Completed
— Exploratory — — — — — —
— Development(1) 34.25 43.00 47.83 0.50 2.50 2.00
West Coast Region
Net Wells Completed
— Exploratory — — — — — —
— Development — 23.00 10.00 — — —
Total Company
Net Wells Completed
— Exploratory — — — — — —
— Development 34.25 66.00 57.83 0.50 2.50 2.00
(1) Fiscal 2023, 2022 and 2021 Appalachian region dry wells include 0.5, 2.5 and 2 net wells, respectively, drilled prior to 2013 that were never completed under a joint venture in which the Company was the nonoperator. The Company became the operator of the properties in 2017 and plugged and abandoned the wells in 2023, 2022 and 2021 after the Company determined it would not continue development activities.
Present Activities
At September 30, 2023 Appalachian
Region
Wells in Process of Drilling(1)
— Gross 54.00
— Net 52.00
(1) Includes wells awaiting completion.