Chevron slashes spending as it looks to ride out low oil prices

The company expects total capital and exploratory budget through 2025 to be between $14bn and $16bn, lower than its forecast

Chevron's reduction in spending came despite the addition of massive projects. AP

US oil major Chevron on Thursday cut billions off its long-term capital and exploratory budget even after a major restructuring of its operations as it tries to ride out a collapse in oil prices and preserve its dividend.

Oil majors have written off around $80 billion in asset values this year, cut output and laid off thousands of staff to save money in the face of a sharp decline in oil demand and revenue.

Chevron said it expects total capital and exploratory budget through 2025 to be between $14bn and $16bn, well below the prior forecast of up to $22bn.

Its move to restrain spending on new oil projects, hold outlays flat next year and cut about $6bn from last forecast was a sign it expects low energy prices for years.

The reduction came despite the addition of massive projects in the US, Middle East and Africa, acquired by Chevron as part of a $4.1bn purchase of Noble Energy.

Detailing its 2021 budget of $14bn, the company said it will spend $11.5bn on exploration and production and $2.1bn for refining related operations.

Chevron's 2021 Permian basin spending of $2bn is half of what it planned at the start of 2020 and lower than 2019 levels of $3.6bn, said Biraj Borkhataria from RBC Capital Markets, adding that the company has been true to its recent message of "lower for longer capex".

Despite the cut to the overall budget, the company said starting 2022 it was likely to raise investments in the Permian basin and the Gulf of Mexico, helped by an anticipated drop in capital needed for a Kazakhstan project.

In contrast with Chevron, which has been praised for its capital discipline, its US rival Exxon Mobil on Monday said by 2025, it will boost expenditures above this year's $23bn level.

Chevron shares were up about 1 per cent at $90.72 in early morning trade.