12月7日，美国顶级页岩油生产商先锋自然资源公司首席执行官奥斯科特·谢菲尔德表示，他担心油价可能会过高，并在该行业多年投资不足后进一步扰乱市场。

谢菲尔德在休斯敦举行的世界石油大会间隙接受采访时表示，“我担心油价可能会变得太高，超过 100 美元/桶。”此次活动汇聚了能源高管和政策制定者，讨论石油和能源问题。天然气技术和市场趋势。

“我希望未来几年它能稳定在 80 美元到 100 美元之间。我们需要石油市场的稳定，”他说。

10月份原油价格跃升至每桶85美元左右，创2014年以来的最高水平，分析师预计，随着需求增长和大流行病削减供应，未来几个月石油价格可能会达到每桶100美元。

由于担心新的 Omicron 冠状病毒变种可能会影响需求，最近导致价格下跌。12 月 7 日，美国原油期货交易价格约为 72 美元，由于对 Omicron 变体的担忧缓解，收复了部分跌幅。

尽管今年价格飙升，但与过去的高价时期不同，美国页岩油生产商并未增加产量。在某种程度上，投资者向石油公司施压，要求其限制钻探，并将更多利润返还给股东。

谢菲尔德表示，先锋公司坚持到 2022 年将产量增长 5% 的计划，每年增加一到两台钻机。

他还对拜登政府没有依靠美国公司支撑生产以降低价格表示惊讶。

他对路透表示，“拜登政府呼吁欧佩克增加产量，但没有要求美国这样做。”他指的是白宫呼吁欧佩克增加产量。

谢菲尔德表示，未来十年，他的目标是将其钻井、水力压裂和压缩作业从柴油改为电动。先锋公司将与其他页岩油公司合作，在二叠纪盆地页岩油田建设电网，使更广泛的转换成为可能。

他的公司还在考虑碳封存，并在先锋公司拥有的土地上建设风能和太阳能发电，以帮助其运营。

HOUSTON—Scott Sheffield, the CEO of top U.S. shale producer Pioneer Natural Resources Co., on Dec. 7 said he worries oil prices could get too high and further roil markets after years underinvestment in the sector.

“I’m worried that it may get too high, above $100 (per barrel)," Sheffield said in an interview on the sidelines of the World Petroleum Congress in Houston. The event brings together top energy executives and policy makers to discuss oil and gas technologies and market trends.

“I hope it stabilizes between a $80 to $100 range over the next several years. We need stability in the oil markets,” he said.

After crude oil prices jumped to around $85 a barrel in October, their highest since 2014, analysts projected oil could hit $100 a barrel in coming months as demand grows and pandemic cutbacks constrain supplies.

Fears the new Omicron coronavirus variant could hit demand recently pulled prices down. U.S. crude futures were trading at around $72 on Dec. 7, regaining some of their losses on easing concerns over the Omicron variant.

U.S. shale producers have not added to production even as prices surged this year, unlike during past periods of high prices. In part, investors have pressured oil companies to restrain drilling and return more of their profits to shareholders.

Sheffield said Pioneer is holding firm on plans to grow its production by 5% in 2022, adding one to two rigs per year.

He also expressed surprise the Biden administration had not leaned on U.S companies to prop up production to lower prices.

“The Biden administration called up OPEC to increase production and didn’t ask the U.S. to do it,” he told Reuters, referring to White House calls for the oil producing group to pump more.

Sheffield said over the next decade he aims to convert its drilling, fracking and compression operations to electric, from diesel. Pioneer will work with other shale firms to build out the electric grid in the Permian Basin shale field to make wider conversions possible.

His company is also looking at carbon sequestration and building out wind and solar power on land Pioneer owns that could help power its operations.