California Resources Corporation Achieves ‘Grade A’ Certification for its San Joaquin Valley Basin Assets
Rhea-AI Summary
California Resources Corporation (NYSE: CRC) received a third MiQ ‘Grade A’ certification for production segments in Fresno and Kern Counties, covering the majority of its San Joaquin Valley output. The certification reflects high scores in company practices, monitoring technology and methane intensity.
CRC says independent verification strengthens its low‑methane credentials and supports reliable, responsibly sourced energy for California while addressing buyer, regulator and investor expectations.
Positive
- Third MiQ Grade A certification for San Joaquin Valley assets
- Majority of production now under independently verified methane standards
- High scores in company practices, monitoring technology, and methane intensity
Negative
- None.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
CRC was up 0.22% while key peers were mixed: CRK -1.51%, MGY -0.98%, VIST +0.70%, CNX -1.80%, CHRD -0.17%, indicating a stock-specific move rather than a sector-wide shift.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 15 | Earnings call schedule | Neutral | -2.3% | Set date and time for Q4 and full-year 2025 earnings call. |
| Jan 08 | ESG partnership | Positive | +4.0% | Carbon management collaboration with Los Angeles Rams using MiQ-certified products. |
| Dec 18 | Berry merger close | Positive | -3.0% | Closed all-stock combination with Berry adding long-lived San Joaquin assets. |
| Dec 16 | Carbon capture MOU | Positive | -4.6% | MOU to evaluate carbon capture and sequestration for two California power plants. |
| Dec 15 | Conference participation | Neutral | -3.2% | Planned participation in January 2026 energy and infrastructure investor conferences. |
Strategic and sustainability-focused announcements have produced mixed reactions, with some positive ESG or strategic deals followed by negative price moves, suggesting investors have not consistently rewarded such news.
Over the past months, CRC has focused on strategic growth and decarbonization. It closed an all-stock combination with Berry on Dec 18, 2025, announced multiple carbon management initiatives, and partnered with the Los Angeles Rams on low-carbon products, which saw a 4.02% gain. Several corporate updates, including conference participation and the merger closing, drew negative reactions, highlighting uneven market response to otherwise constructive developments.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement reinforces CRC’s emphasis on verified low-methane operations, with a third MiQ ‘Grade A’ certification now covering San Joaquin Valley assets. Together with prior carbon management initiatives and the Berry combination, it underscores a strategy around both scale and lower emissions. Investors may track future certifications, integration of acquired assets, and forthcoming financial results to assess how these environmental credentials translate into commercial advantages and long-term positioning.
Key Terms
methane intensity technical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Third consecutive independent MiQ certification underscores CRC’s commitment to meeting California's energy needs responsibly
BAKERSFIELD, Calif., Feb. 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- California Resources Corporation (NYSE: CRC) announced today that it has received a ‘Grade A’ certification through MiQ, the global methane certification and verification standard, for production segments across their San Joaquin Valley operating assets in Fresno and Kern Counties. This marks CRC’s third MiQ certification, with the majority of production now under independently verified standards, further reinforcing CRC’s leadership in low-methane intensity.
“CRC is committed to operating responsibly by holding ourselves to standards that go beyond regulatory requirements,” said Francisco Leon, CRC President and Chief Executive Officer. “Independent validation of emissions performance across most of our production reflects how we do business—providing reliable, responsibly sourced energy for California while protecting the environment and supporting the communities where we operate.”
MiQ’s certification process delivered measured, independently verified reporting, with CRC’s ‘Grade A’ certification resulting from high rankings in the three scoring categories: company practices, monitoring technology deployment, and methane intensity. At a time when buyers, regulators and investors are demanding credible, transparent evidence of methane performance, CRC’s certification demonstrates the potential for the industry to drive down methane emissions.
“Earning three ‘Grade A’ certifications in just a few months underscores CRC’s sustained commitment to high level methane performance. It also demonstrates the level of operational excellence and accountability that can be embedded at scale – qualities that are becoming increasingly critical as market expectations and regulations continue to evolve. I want to congratulate the entire CRC team on this continued leadership and look forward to continued certification of their production in California,” said Georges Tijbosch, Chief Executive Officer of MiQ.
For more information about CRC’s sustainability efforts, please visit crc.com/sustainability.
About California Resources Corporation
California Resources Corporation (CRC) is an independent energy and carbon management company advancing the energy transition. CRC is committed to environmental stewardship while safely providing local, responsibly sourced energy. CRC is also focused on maximizing the value of its land, mineral ownership, and energy expertise for decarbonization by developing CCS and other emissions reducing projects. For more information about CRC, please visit www.crc.com.
About MiQ
MiQ is a global leader in methane emissions certification and data. Our not-for-profit mission is to accelerate the transition to lower methane emissions gas by providing a credible and transparent certification system that drives regulatory compliance, incentivizes continuous improvement, and ensures methane accountability in the oil and gas sector and tracing throughout the entire supply chain.
Forward-Looking Statements
This document contains statements that CRC believes to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements other than historical facts are forward-looking statements, and include statements regarding CRC's future financial position, business strategy, projected revenues, earnings, costs, capital expenditures and plans and objectives of management for the future. Words such as “expect,” “could,” “may,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “ability,” “believe,” “seek,” “see,” “will,” “would,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “target,” “guidance,” “outlook,” “opportunity” or “strategy” or similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such statements.
Although CRC believes the expectations and forecasts reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, they are inherently subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond its control. No assurance can be given that such forward-looking statements will be correct or achieved or that the assumptions are accurate or will not change over time. Particular uncertainties that could cause CRC’s actual results to be materially different than those expressed in its forward-looking statements are described in its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and its other periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These factors include, but are not limited to: fluctuations in commodity prices; production levels and/or pricing by OPEC, OPEC+ or U.S. producers; government policy, war and political conditions and events; integration efforts and projected benefits in connection with the Aera Merger and other acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures; regulatory actions and changes that affect the oil and gas industry generally and us in particular; the efforts of activists to delay or prevent oil and gas activities or the development of CRC’s carbon management segment; changes in business strategy and capital plan; lower-than-expected production; changes to estimates of reserves and related future cash flows; the recoverability of resources and unexpected geologic conditions; general economic conditions and trends; results from operations and competition in the industries in which it operates; CRC’s ability to realize the anticipated benefits from prior or future efforts to reduce costs; environmental risks and liability; the benefits contemplated by its energy transition strategies and initiatives; CRC’s ability to successfully identify, develop and finance carbon capture and storage projects, power projects and other renewable energy efforts; the ability to achieve future emissions targets and reductions; future dividends and share repurchases and de-leveraging efforts; and natural disasters, accidents, mechanical failures, power outages, labor difficulties, cybersecurity breaches or attacks or other catastrophic events.
CRC cautions you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this document, which speak only as of the date hereof, and CRC undertakes no obligation to update this information. This document may also contain information from third-party sources. This data may involve a number of assumptions and limitations, and CRC has not independently verified them and does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of such third-party information.
Contact:
Hailey Bonus
CRC Media
714-874-7732
CRC.Communications@crc.com
Daniel Juck
CRC Investor Relations
818-661-3700
CRC_IR@crc.com
James Whiteman
MiQ
James.whiteman@theblakeneygroup.com
FAQ
What did California Resources Corporation (CRC) announce on February 25, 2026 about MiQ certification?
How much of CRC’s San Joaquin Valley production is covered by the new MiQ certification (CRC)?
What scoring categories earned CRC the MiQ ‘Grade A’ for CRC on Feb 25, 2026?
Why does CRC say the MiQ Grade A certification matters for investors and buyers (CRC)?
Where can investors find more information about CRC’s sustainability efforts after the MiQ announcement?
