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Oil & Gas

Wednesday
24 Jan 2024

Woodside Energy Signals Higher Production;Santosmerger Talks Still at Early Stage

24 Jan 2024  by reuters   

A plant decorates the booth of Australian petroleum exploration and production company Woodside Energy during the LNG 2023 energy trade show in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, July 13, 2023. REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights
Australia's Woodside Energy (WDS.AX), opens new tab on Wednesday forecast a jump in 2024 production and reported a 3% sequential rise in fourth-quarter revenue on higher realised prices, as it engages in a $52 billion merger talks with Santos (STO.AX), opens new tab.

The country's top independent gas producer expects 2024 production to be between 185 million and 195 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe).

Production for 2023 came in at 187.2 mmboe, at the top end of its forecast range of 183 to 188 mmboe.

Woodside and smaller rival Santos in December confirmed they were in preliminary talks to create a major oil and gas company, which together would have assets in Australia, Alaska, the Gulf of Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Senegal and Trinidad and Tobago.

"The talks are still at an early stage and there is no certainty that the transaction will progress," Woodside CEO Meg O'Neill said on Wednesday.

"Woodside will be disciplined, conduct thorough due diligence, and will only pursue a transaction that is value-accretive for shareholders."

Revenue for the three months ended Dec. 31 came in at $3.36 billion, compared with $3.26 billion in the September quarter. It missed a Visible Alpha consensus estimate of $3.59 billion, according to RBC.

Quarterly revenue was partly offset by lower traded LNG volumes and timing of oil and condensate sales, Woodside said.

Production of 48.1 mmboe was marginally higher than 47.8 mmboe in the previous quarter, reflecting the completion of planned turnaround and maintenance activities at its North West Shelf in Western Australia and Shenzi in the Gulf of Mexico.

The company said Phase 1 of its Sangomar Field Development project in Senegal was 94% complete at the end of the quarter and remained on track for targeted first oil in mid-2024.

Woodside said capital expenditure for 2024 is expected in the range of $5.0 billion to $5.5 billion.

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