据能源世界网1月25日伦敦报道，根据数据显示，去年，由于新冠疫情导致的能源价格下跌引发了支出削减，石油和天然气巨头大幅放缓了寻找新化石燃料资源的步伐。
根据总部位于奥斯陆的咨询公司雷斯塔能源（Rystad energy）的数据显示，西方五大能源巨头收购陆上和海上新勘探许可区的数量降至至少5年来的最低水平。
雷斯塔能源分析师Palzor Shenga表示，受疫情影响，去年的勘探许可数量减少，埃克森美孚、荷兰皇家壳牌和法国道达尔等公司也减少了支出。
在这五家公司中，英国石油公司在2020年的新收购区域降幅最大。去年2月就任英国石油首席执行官的鲁尼提出了一项战略，到2030年将石油产量减少40%，即每天100万桶。近几个月，英国石油迅速缩减了其勘探团队。
根据雷斯塔能源的数据显示，美国最大的能源公司埃克森美孚在2020年收购了该集团最大的区块，拥有安哥拉三个区块的63%。
道达尔在安哥拉和阿曼收购了两个大型区块，位居第二。
收购勘探区域意味着企业可以寻找石油和天然气。如果发现了足够多的新资源，这些公司需要决定是否开发它们，这一过程可能需要数年时间，成本很高。
据分析人士表示，勘探活动的减少可能导致未来五年供应短缺。
郝芬 译自 能源世界
原文如下：
Big Oil hits brakes Top oil and gas companies sharply slowed their search for new fossil fuel resources last year, data shows, as lower energy prices due to the coronavirus crisis triggered spending cuts.
Acquisitions of new The number of exploration licensing rounds dropped last year due to the epidemic while companies including Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell and France's Total also reduced spending, Rystad Energy analyst Palzor Shenga said.
Of the five companies, BP saw by far the largest drop in new acreage acquisition in 2020. Bernard Looney, who became BP's CEO in February, outlined a strategy to reduce oil output by 40% or 1 million barrels per day by 2030. BP has rapidly scaled back its exploration team in recent months.
Exxon, the largest U.S. energy company, acquired the largest acreage in 2020 in the group, with 63% in three blocks in Angola, according to Rystad Energy.
Total was second with two large blocks acquired in Angola and Oman.
Acquiring exploration acreage means companies can search for oil and gas. If new resources are discovered in sufficient volumes, the companies need to decide whether to develop them, a costly process that can take years.
As a result, the drop in exploration activity could lead to a supply gap in the second half of the decade, analysts said.
