Chevron CEO Mike Wirth Talks Fourth-Quarter Earnings
Feb 2, 2024
auto_awesome
Chevron CEO Mike Wirth discusses fourth-quarter earnings, acquisition of Hess, potential future deals, and being a legacy industry. Topics include Chevron's buyback plans in the market, geopolitical risks, and the current state of the oil market.
Chevron expects to reach a production of 1 million barrels per day by 2025, attributing their growth to exceptional execution and record production levels globally, particularly in the Permian region.
Chevron aims to maintain a plateau in production after reaching 1 million barrels per day in 2025, allowing for a reduction in capital investment, emphasizing the importance of capital discipline and lessons learned from commodity markets.
Deep dives
Permian driving strong growth in oil production
The Permian region has experienced remarkable growth, with a 14% increase in oil production. Chevron's growth forecast indicates an expected production of 1 million barrels per day by 2025. The company attributes this growth to exceptional execution and record production levels globally, particularly in the Permian region. This strong performance has enabled Chevron to return a record $26 billion to shareholders, highlighting their commitment to capital discipline and consistent growth.
Maintaining productivity and efficiency gains with capital discipline
Chevron is focused on capital discipline and tight capital budgets, aiming to sustain and enhance productivity and efficiency gains. While the capital expenditure (cap X) will remain at approximately $5 billion this year, continued growth is anticipated. As production reaches one million barrels per day in 2025, Chevron aims to maintain a plateau, allowing for a reduction in capital investment. The company emphasizes the importance of capital discipline and the lessons learned from commodity markets.
Chevron's future plans and outlook
With the impending acquisition of HES and a strong balance sheet, Chevron foresees even more substantial production growth and the ability to sustain dividends and share repurchases well into the next decade. While always alert to opportunities, Chevron currently has no plans for major acquisitions this year, as they are focused on successfully integrating HES. The company aims to increase their stock buyback program to a $20 billion run rate and emphasizes that its strong cash flow, balance sheet, and long-term track record make the energy sector an attractive opportunity for patient shareholders.
Chevron CEO and Chairman Mike Wirth discusses the oil company's fourth-quarter earnings, acquisition of Hess, the potential of other deals on the horizon and being a legacy industry in a tech-obsessed world. He speaks with Bloomberg's Alix Steel and Romaine Bostick.