中国石化新闻网讯 据OE网站12月8日报道，美国最大的两家石油公司——埃克森美孚公司和雪佛龙公司——公布了明年在石油需求和价格高企的情况下增加能源项目支出的计划。
尽管支出有所增加，但仍不及2013年支出总额840亿美元的一半。2013年油价经常在每桶100美元以上交易，今年也是如此。这两家公司从这些价格和过去的成本削减中获得了大量现金，并大幅提高了股东派息。
对股东回报的关注引发了来自白宫的压力。政府批评石油公司没有提高石油产量来帮助消费者降低价格。不过，明年的预算仍在地缘政治冲突引发全球能源短缺之前设定的范围内。
埃克森美孚表示，明年将把项目投资增加到230亿至250亿美元，高于今年预计的220亿美元。雪佛龙表示，计划投资170亿美元，高于今年的约150亿美元。增加的资金包括用于减排项目的新资金和通货膨胀的影响。
支出的增加不会立即导致产量的增加。埃克森美孚表示，预计明年的产量将持平，约为370万桶当量/日，而雪佛龙预计到2026年的复合年均增长率将超过3%。
埃克森美孚首席执行官Darren Woods周四表示，埃克森美孚将在大约两年内无法实现从二叠纪油田日产100万桶油的目标。目前，该公司的目标是在2027年日产量达到90万至100万桶油当量。
最大的变化将是赚取的现金量。假设全球油价为每桶60美元，埃克森预计到2027年将有1000亿美元的现金盈余。根据Jefferies股票研究，雪佛龙明年将产生约340亿美元的自由现金流，是其石油投资水平的两倍。
美国和欧洲生产商也在恢复疫情期间部分削减的项目支出。壳牌今年的资本支出增加了22%，达到230亿至270亿美元。英国石油公司今年的项目支出比去年增加了21%，达到155亿美元。
西方五大能源巨头今年都实现了创纪录的利润，埃克森美孚和雪佛龙的股价本季度均创下历史新高。
郝芬 译自 OE
原文如下：
Exxon and Chevron to Spend Billions More>The two largest U.S. oil companies - Exxon Mobil Corp and Chevron Corp - disclosed plans to increase outlays>While spending more, it will be less than half the combined $84 billion they spent in 2013, when oil prices often traded above $100 per barrel as they have this year. The two are awash in cash from those prices and past cost cuts, and have sharply raised shareholder payouts.
The focus>Exxon said it would increase project investments next year to between $23 billion to $25 billion, up from a projected $22 billion this year. Chevron said it plans to spend $17 billion, up from about $15 billion this year. Increases include new monies for emissions reduction projects and the impact of inflation.
The higher spending will not immediately lead to more production. Exxon has said it expects output next year to be flat at about 3.7 million barrels of equivalent oil per day (boed), while Chevron has forecast a greater than 3% compound average annual increase through 2026.
Exxon will miss its goal of pumping 1 million boed from its Permian operations by about two years, Exxon Chief Executive Darren Woods said>The biggest change will be the amount of cash earned. Exxon sees potential for $100 billion in surplus cash by 2027, assuming global oil prices of $60 per barrel. Chevron should generate about $34 billion in free cash flow next year, according to Jefferies equity research, twice its oil investments levels.
U.S. and European producers have also been partially recovering project spending slashed during the pandemic. Shell this year increased capital spending 22% to between $23 billion to $27 billion. BP this year expanded project spending by 21% to $15.5 billion from last year.
The five western majors posted record profits this year, and Exxon and Chevron shares have hit historical highs this quarter.
