Chevron Makes $5.7 Bln in Q2

Chevron Corporation has reported earnings of $5.7 billion ($2.98 per share – diluted) for second quarter 2014, compared with $5.4 billion ($2.77 per share – diluted) in the 2013 second quarter.

Foreign currency effects decreased earnings in the 2014 quarter by $232 million, compared with an increase of $302 million a year earlier.

Sales and other operating revenues in second quarter 2014 were $56 billion, compared to $55 billion in the year-ago period.

“Our second quarter earnings and cash flow were solid,” said Chairman and CEO John Watson. “Current quarter earnings reflected stronger market conditions for crude oil, although some of these benefits were offset by lower production volumes as a result of planned maintenance activity at Tengizchevroil in Kazakhstan. Gains on asset sales also contributed to our results, as we completed important sales under our three-year divestment program.”

U.S. upstream earnings of $1.05 billion in second quarter 2014 were down $29 million from a year earlier, as gains on asset sales and stronger crude oil and natural gas realizations were more than offset by additional depreciation, exploration and operating expenses.

The company’s average sales price per barrel of crude oil and natural gas liquids was $92.44 in second quarter 2014, up from $92.25 a year ago. The average sales price of natural gas was $4.09 per thousand cubic feet, compared with $3.78 in last year’s second quarter.

International upstream earnings of $4.21 billion increased $344 million from second quarter 2013. The increase between quarters was primarily due to a gain on the sale of interests in Chad and Cameroon and higher realizations and sales volumes for crude oil, partially offset by higher exploration and depreciation expenses. Foreign currency effects decreased earnings by $147 million in the 2014 quarter, compared with an increase of $275 million a year earlier.

The average sales price for crude oil and natural gas liquids in second quarter 2014 was $101.15 per barrel, up from $93.71 a year earlier. The average price of natural gas was $5.98 per thousand cubic feet, compared with $5.93 in last year’s second quarter.

Watson added, “We continue to make significant progress on our major capital projects which are expected to underpin a 20 percent increase in production by 2017 and enable significant growth in our cash flows. In the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, our production is expected to benefit in the near-term from start-up of the Jack/St. Malo Project later this year and the Big Foot Project in 2015. In Australia, our Gorgon and Wheatstone LNG projects continue to reach important interim milestones. Gorgon remains on track for expected start-up in mid-2015. We are also advancing the development of our liquids-rich, unconventional properties in the United States, Canada and Argentina.”

Press Release, August 01, 2014