Albert Recognized as Virginia Tech Distinguished Alumnus

PITTSBURGH, April 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Randall M. Albert, chief operating officer of gas operations for CONSOL Energy (NYSE: CNX), was named a Distinguished Alumnus of Virginia Tech, Friday during the university's annual awards and scholarship banquet.

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Albert, a 1980 graduate of Virginia Tech, holds a degree in mining engineering, and has made his career with CONSOL Energy, having worked with the company for 34 years.

The award, which honors a Virginia Tech alumnus based on his or her professional career and accomplishments, was presented by Dr. Michael Karmis, the Stonie Barker Professor for the Department of Mining and Minerals Engineering and director of the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research (VCCER) at Virginia Tech.

Karmis recognized Albert and CONSOL Energy's Virginia gas division which have made contributions to ongoing research into carbon capture and storage in the Virginia coalfields, donating the use of wells and staff time to explore the opportunities that might exist for carbon storage in unmineable coal seams.

In accepting the award, a bronzed statue of a miner, Albert thanked the department for selecting him and said he was truly honored to have been selected as a 2013 recipient. He noted Virginia Tech always had a special place in his heart and he said he was forever grateful for the role Virginia Tech has played in his career, recognizing the dedicated faculty which continues to teach the engineering students of today.

"I'm going to offer you a bit of advice and that is to establish a set of core values as you go through life – integrity that you always do what is right; respect, for your employer and its mission and your employees; stand for the environment and respect it; and vision – look to the future and hold true to your values," he said.

Albert began his career with CONSOL Energy as an engineer trainee in 1979, joining the company full-time after his graduation from Virginia Tech. From 1980-1990, he held various mining positions within CONSOL which included roles in the initial coal mine degasification efforts which ultimately lead to the creation of CONSOL Energy's CNX Gas subsidiary. He became the chief operating officer of gas operations for CONSOL in 2010. In that position, he is responsible for all aspects of the company's natural gas business. Previously, as senior vice president-emerging business units, Albert was responsible for managing the company's shale programs including the Marcellus Shale and other emerging gas plays. Historically, he has had responsibility for managing the start-up of two Appalachian coalbed methane gas plays for CONSOL Energy's gas division.

Albert is a registered professional engineer in Virginia and West Virginia and is also a member of the board of directors of the Virginia Oil and Gas Association, the Coalfield Water Development Fund, the executive board of the Marcellus Shale Coalition and serves as a member of the Virginia Tech Mining Engineering Advisory Board.

About CONSOL Energy

CONSOL Energy Inc. (NYSE: CNX) is a Pittsburgh-based producer of coal and natural gas. It has 12 bituminous coal mining complexes in four states and reports proven and probable coal reserves of 4.2 billion tons.  The company's premium Appalachian coals are sold worldwide to electricity generators and steelmakers. In natural gas, CONSOL Energy has transformed itself from a pure-play coalbed methane producer to a full-fledged exploration and production company. The company is a leading producer in the Marcellus Shale and is transitioning its active exploration program into development mode in the Utica Shale.  CONSOL Energy has proved natural gas reserves of 4.0 trillion cubic feet. Operational safety is the company's top core value and CONSOL Energy boasts a record of almost two times better than the industry average for underground bituminous coal mines.   CONSOL Energy is a member of the Standard & Poor's 500 Equity Index and the Fortune 500. Additional information about CONSOL Energy can be found at its Web site: www.consolenergy.com.

SOURCE CONSOL Energy Inc.