（彭博社）“西方石油公司将减少美国页岩油业务的支出，因为该公司寻求改善现金流以偿还债务，导致今年产量基本持平。

这家总部位于休斯顿的公司周三表示，页岩油和勘探的资本投资将削减 3.2 亿美元，二叠纪盆地的两座钻井平台今年将被闲置。墨西哥湾、化学品和提高石油采收率业务的支出将增加。

西方石油公司在一份报告中表示，二叠纪盆地支出的下降是“由于效率和活动放缓”。

此举扭转了二叠纪地区多年来不断增加的钻探活动，西方石油公司是该地区最大的生产商之一。经济放缓产生的额外现金流将有助于偿还其最近以 108 亿美元收购二叠纪私人生产商 CrownRock LP 相关的债务。

西方石油公司今年的目标产量为 1.25 MMbpd，仅比第四季度的产量高 1.3%。资本支出约为 65 亿美元，低于分析师估计的 70 亿美元。 

该公司第四季度调整后每股收益为 74 美分，高于分析师 67 美分的平均预期。

截至下午 4 点 51 分，该股在盘后交易中几乎没有变化。

(Bloomberg) – Occidental Petroleum Corp. will reduce spending on U.S. shale operations as it seeks to improve cash flow to repay debt, resulting in largely flat production this year.

Capital investment in shale and exploration will be trimmed by $320 million, and two rigs in the Permian will be idled this year, the Houston-based company said Wednesday. Spending will increase in the Gulf of Mexico, chemicals and the enhanced oil recovery business.

The drop in Permian spending is “due to efficiency and moderating activity,” Occidental said in a presentation.

The move is a reversal from years of increasing drilling activity in the Permian, where Occidental is one of the biggest producers. The extra cash flow generated from the slowdown will help pay off debt linked to its recent $10.8 billion acquisition of private Permian producer CrownRock LP.

Occidental is targeting production equivalent to 1.25 MMbpd this year, just 1.3% more than its output in the fourth quarter. Capital spending will be about $6.5 billion, less than the $7 billion estimated by analysts. 

The company’s fourth-quarter adjusted earnings were 74 cents a share, topping analysts’ 67-cent average estimate.

The stock was little changed at 4:51 p.m. in after-hours trading.