BP posts 3Q profit of $1.9 billion. Production grows

Oil company BP has reported an increase in its profit for the third quarter 2017, beating analysts’ expectations of $1.58 billion.

Underlying replacement cost profit (net profit) for the third quarter was $1,86 billion, compared with $933 million in 3Q 2016.

Bob Dudley, Group chief executive said: “We are steadily building a track record of delivering on our plans and growing across our businesses. This quarter, three new Upstream projects and the highest Downstream earnings in five years, underpinned by reliable operations and disciplined spending, have generated healthy earnings and cash flow. There is still room for further improvement and we will keep striving to increase sustainable free cash flow and distributions to shareholders.”

The company’s reported oil and gas production in the third quarter averaged 3.6 million barrels of oil equivalent a day, 14% higher than in the third quarter of 2016.

Three Upstream major projects, the Persephone project in Australia, the Juniper project in Trinidad, and the first phase of the Khazzan tight gas development in Oman, all started production in the third quarter. Six of the seven major projects BP expects to start production in 2017 are now online. The seventh, Zohr in Egypt, is on track to start up before the end of the year.

“Looking ahead, we expect fourth-quarter reported production to be higher than the third quarter reflecting the continued ramp-up of major projects and recovery from seasonal turnaround and maintenance activities,” BP said.

Offshore Energy Today Staff