据离岸工程网2月24日报道，在美国石油生产商中，西方石油公司是率先制定雄心勃勃的净零排放目标的公司之一。去年，该公司成立了一个低碳小组，通过一种被称为直接空气捕捉的方法，将二氧化碳从大气中提取出来，实现商业化。
周二，西方石油公司首席执行官兼总裁Vicki Hollub对分析师说：“作为我们低碳战略的一部分，我们也可以为合作伙伴和其他行业提供解决方案，比如航空公司和公用事业公司，这些行业可能没有其他方法来显著降低碳足迹。”
Hollub表示，值得注意的是，上周德克萨斯州受严重冬季风暴造成的石油停产影响是暂时的，西方石油公司90%的油气生产和化学品业务已恢复运营。
冬季风暴造成的停运和重启的成本尚未量化。他补充说:“但好消息是，我们没有看到任何永久性损坏，油井正在恢复，看起来非常好。”
据路透社报道，尽管石油和天然气价格走高，但由于资产出售给业绩带来压力，该公司在周一在市场收盘后公布的第四季度亏损高于预期。
西方石油公司第四季度的油气业务税前亏损11亿美元，不过该部门在2019年第四季度的利润为9.21亿美元。
“我们仍然致力于加强我们的资产负债表，并通过实现2020年资产剥离目标、减少债务和成功延长债务期限，向2021年过渡，财务状况有所改善。”
“在第四季度，我们的业务再次表现出色，因为我们的团队继续利用我们的技术专长来缓解产量下降，同时无情地降低成本。我们继续在债务结构方面取得进展，并已大大超过我们的成本节约目标，同时在整个业务中实现卓越运营。”
Vicki Hollub在公司的财务业绩中表示:“这些决定性的财务和运营行动反映了我们作为低成本运营商的领导地位，当市场状况改善时，我们将获得成功。”
值得提醒的是，今年1月，西方石油公司(Occidental)声称，在减少温室气体排放方面，它比美国电动汽车和清洁能源公司特斯拉(Tesla)做得更多。同月，该公司向印度交付了世界上第一批碳中和石油。
寿琳玲 译自Offshoreenergy
原文如下：
Occidental: Low-carbon business earnings could match oil
Occidental has been an early mover among U.S. oil producers in setting ambitious net-zero emissions goals and last year created a low-carbon group to commercialize pulling carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere through a process known as direct air capture.
Chief executive and president of Occidental Petroleum Vicki Hollub told analysts on Tuesday: “As part of our low-carbon strategy, we can provide a solution for partners and other industries as well, which is airlines and utilities. Those industries may not have an alternative means to significantly lower their carbon footprint”.
It is worth noting that the impact of severe winter storms in Texas last week that shuttered oil output was temporary, with 90 per cent of Occidental’s oil and gas production and its chemicals business back in operation, Hollub said.
The costs of shutdowns and restarts from the winter storm are not yet quantified. “But the good thing is we see no permanent damage with anything, and the wells are starting back and looking very good”, Hollub added.
According to a Reuters article, the U.S. producer posted on Monday after market close a larger-than-expected fourth-quarter loss despite higher oil and gas prices as an asset sale weighed on results.
Occidental had a pre-tax loss of $1.1 billion in their oil and gas business for the quarter, though that unit had profits of $921 million in the fourth quarter of 2019.
“We remain committed to strengthening our balance sheet and transitioned into 2021 with an improved financial position by achieving our 2020 divestiture target, reducing debt and successfully extending debt maturities.
“In the fourth quarter, our businesses again outperformed as our teams continue to leverage our technical expertise to mitigate production decline while relentlessly lowering costs. We continue to make progress on our debt structure and have significantly exceeded our cost savings targets while delivering operational excellence across our business.
“These decisive financial and operational actions reflect our leadership as a low-cost operator, positioning us for success when market conditions improve“, Vicki Hollub stated in the company’s financial results.
It is worth reminding that Occidental claimed in January that it was doing more than American electric vehicle and clean energy company Tesla to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In the same month, the company delivered the world’s first shipment of carbon-neutral oil to India.“In the fourth quarter, our businesses again outperformed as our teams continue to leverage our technical expertise to mitigate production decline while relentlessly lowering costs. We continue to make progress on our debt structure and have significantly exceeded our cost savings targets while delivering operational excellence across our business.
“These decisive financial and operational actions reflect our leadership as a low-cost operator, positioning us for success when market conditions improve“, Vicki Hollub stated in the company’s financial results.
It is worth reminding that Occidental claimed in January that it was doing more than American electric vehicle and clean energy company Tesla to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In the same month, the company delivered the world’s first shipment of carbon-neutral oil to India.
