MOSCOW (MRC) -- ExxonMobil said it has finalized corporate plans, which increase spending to USD15 B on GHG emission-reduction projects over the next six years while maintaining disciplined capital investments in its industry-leading portfolio, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.
The plans support the corporate strategy of continued structural cost savings, investment in low-cost-of-supply and lower-emission products, and further portfolio high-grading, positioning the company to double earnings and cash flow by 2027 versus 2019.
The company also announced it is on track to meet its 2025 GHG emission-reduction plans by year-end 2021, four years ahead of schedule. In addition, ExxonMobil has developed more aggressive plans for further Scope 1 and Scope 2 reductions through 2030, consistent with Paris Agreement pathways.
ExxonMobil plans to maintain capital investments in the range of USD20-25 B per year through 2027 with flexibility to adjust to adverse market conditions or changes in policy and technology for low-emissions projects.
“The restored strength of our balance sheet and improved financial outlook support accelerating investment in our industry-advantaged, high-return projects, and a growing list of financially accretive lower-emission business opportunities,” said Darren Woods, chairman and chief executive officer. “Our strategy is designed to create shareholder value by leveraging our competitive advantages while maintaining flexibility to respond to future policy changes and technology advances associated with the energy transition.”
Projected growth of cash flow and earnings in the Upstream business results from aggressive cost reductions and progressing advantaged investments in low-cost-of-supply projects in Guyana, Brazil, and the Permian Basin in the United States. More than 90% of Upstream planned capital investments through 2027 are expected to generate returns of greater than 10% at prices less than or equal to USD35 per bbl of oil equivalent, while reducing Upstream GHG emissions intensity by 40-50% through 2030, compared to 2016 levels.
Downstream and Chemical earnings and cash flow growth plans are focused on high-return projects, which are expected to double the volume of valuable performance chemicals and lower-emission fuels and lubricants. The company will leverage its industry-leading manufacturing scale, integration, and technology position to high-grade its portfolio and reduce costs, while optimizing operations and leveraging the capabilities of the Low Carbon Solutions business to reduce GHG emission intensity at operated facilities.
Increased cash flow and earnings enable both further debt reduction and returns to shareholders. To date in 2021, the company has repaid USD11 B in debt and expects to be comfortably within the range of its targeted debt–to-capital ratio of 20-25% by year-end. It has also announced a USD10 B share-repurchase program over 12-24 months that will commence in 2022, and it increased its annual dividend payment for the 39th consecutive year.
As part of its plan, ExxonMobil has committed USD15 B for lower-emission investments through 2027. These investments will include a balance between projects to reduce GHG emissions from existing operations and increased investments in the low carbon solutions business. The same capabilities, technical strengths and market experience that support base energy and chemical businesses will help drive commercial growth opportunities for CCS, biofuels and hydrogen where supportive policies currently exist and provide for strong returns.
ExxonMobil is on track to exceed its 2025 GHG emission-reduction plans announced in December 2020. The company anticipates year-end 2021 results to show a reduction of 15-20% in GHG intensity from Upstream operations compared to 2016 levels, four years ahead of schedule. This is supported by an anticipated reduction of 40-50% in methane intensity and 35-45% in flaring intensity compared to 2016.
As MRC informed before, ExxonMobil said earlier this month it is on track to meet its 2025 emissions reduction targets by the end of this year - four years earlier than planned - and has vowed to ramp up investments to further cut emissions.
We remind that ExxonMobil plans to build its first, large-scale plastic waste advanced recycling facility in Baytown, Texas, and is expected to start operations by year-end 2022. By recycling plastic waste back into raw materials that can be used to make plastic and other valuable products, the technology could help address the challenge of plastic waste in the environment. A smaller, temporary facility, is already operational and producing commercial volumes of certified circular polymers that will be marketed by the end of this year to meet growing demand.
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,868,160 tonnes in the first nine months of 2021, up by 18% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,138,510 tonnes in January-September 2021, up by 30% year on year. Supply of propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) decreased significantly.
ExxonMobil is the largest non-government owned company in the energy industry and produces about 3% of the world"s oil and about 2% of the world"s energy.
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