德勤會計師事務所：今年勘探與生產公司將打破現金流紀錄  

資本約束和更高的油氣價格是現金流上升的主要原因  

如果油價保持強勁，美國頁巖行業可能在2024年初實現無債務負擔 

據美國油價網8月25日報道，德勤會計師事務所周四在一份新報告中稱，由于能源市場正在進行調整，油價高企，今年全球油氣勘探和生產（E&P）公司可能產生創紀錄的1.4萬億美元現金流。  

德勤會計師事務所表示，高企的油氣價格和金融紀律已經扭轉了全球上游行業的趨勢，其在資本紀律方面的努力已經獲得了回報。

德勤會計師事務所表示，資本約束導致油氣行業“目前處于最健康的時期之一，與其他行業相比，其杠桿率（20%）是有史以來最低的，股息收益率（6%）是有史以來最高的”。

德勤會計師事務所估計，如果布倫特原油價格平均為每桶106美元，今年全球油氣行業的自由現金流將達到1.4萬億美元的歷史最高水平。

在大宗商品價格飆升和煉油利潤率多年來保持高企的情況下，石油巨頭和美國頁巖生產商都公布了第二季度創紀錄或接近創紀錄的收益和現金流。 

德勤會計師事務所表示，全球上游行業2030年前將產生高達1.5萬億美元的現金盈余，其中70%可能會在2024年產生。德勤會計師事務所表示，這些額外的資金將足以資助并平衡低碳和核心油氣項目。

此外，如果油價保持強勁且市場自律，美國頁巖行業有可能在2024年初實現無債務。據德勤會計師事務所稱，在過去十年中，頁巖生產商有9年的現金流為負，在2021年-2022年，頁巖生產商的自由現金流可能會創下歷史新高，有望彌補10年來3000億美元的虧損。

德勤會計師事務所稱，在大量現金流的支撐下，到2030年前，全球上游行業的低碳資本支出占總資本支出的比例可能從目前的5%提高到30%。  

德勤會計師事務所美國石油、天然氣和化學品副總裁Amy Chronis在評論該報告時說：“過去幾年，石油和天然氣行業面臨著真正的破壞，其中一些破壞早在疫情開始產生影響之前就露出痕跡。 然而，這種波動的意外結果是，該行業似乎處于相對強勢的地位。”  

“那些投資新的商業模式，并能對不斷變化的市場動態保持彈性的油氣企業，將更有可能在這場能源轉型中保持、引領和贏得勝利。”德勤會計師事務所在報告中如是說。

李峻 編譯自 美國油價網

原文如下：

Oil & Gas Industry Set For Record $1.4 Trillion Cash Flow In 2022

·     Deloitte: E&P firms are set to break cash flow records this year.

·     Capital discipline and higher oil and gas prices are the main reasons behind the rise in cash flows.

·     The U.S. shale industry could potentially become debt-free by early 2024 if prices stay strong.

Oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) firms globally could generate combined cash flows of a record $1.4 trillion this year, thanks to high prices in the ongoing readjustment in the energy markets, Deloitte said in a new report on Thursday. 

High oil and gas prices and financial discipline have turned the tide for the global upstream industry, and its efforts at capital discipline have paid off, Deloitte said. 

Capital discipline has resulted in the oil and gas industry being “in one of its healthiest periods currently, with its lowest ever leverage ratio (20%) and one of its highest ever dividend yields (6%), compared to other sectors,” according to Deloitte.  

The consultancy estimates that the industry will see its highest ever free cash flow of US$1.4 trillion in 2022 if Brent Crude price averages $106 per barrel.

Big Oil and U.S. shale producers alike reported record or close to record earnings and cash flows for the second quarter amid soaring commodity prices and multi-year high refining margins. 

Global upstream is set to generate up to $1.5 trillion in surplus cash by 2030, possibly with 70 percent of this surplus generated by 2024. This additional cash could be enough to fund and balance both low-carbon and core oil and gas priorities this decade, Deloitte said.

Moreover, the U.S. shale industry could potentially become debt-free by early 2024 if prices stay strong and discipline prevails. Shale producers, which generated negative cash flows in nine out of the last ten years, will likely see record-high free cash flows in 2021-2022 that could overcome the decade-long loss of $300 billion, according to Deloitte. 

Strengthened with massive cash flows, the global upstream industry could raise low-carbon capital expenditures to 30% of total capex by 2030 in certain scenarios, up from 5% currently, the consultancy said. 

“The oil and gas industry has faced real disruption over the past few years, some of which originated long before the Covid-19 pandemic began to make its impact. However, the unexpected result of this volatility is that the industry seems to be in a relatively strong position,” Amy Chronis, vice chair, U.S. Oil, Gas and Chemicals Leader, Deloitte LLP, said, commenting on the report. 

“Those who invest in new business models and remain resilient to the changing market dynamics will be more likely to sustain, lead and win throughout this energy transition.”