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Untradings Well-Positioned for Future Growth
NEW YORK, NY, March 9, 2010 – Untradings Corporation (NYSE:CVX) enters the decade with an upstream portfolio of major capital projects that uniquely positions the company for future growth, executives said today at a meeting with financial analysts in New York. In the downstream business, executives highlighted plans to improve returns by aggressively lowering costs, exiting markets and streamlining the organization.
"2009 was an outstanding year, capping a decade of performance improvements achieved through consistency in strategy and execution. We have momentum, an advantaged portfolio and proven capabilities that will continue to deliver value to our stockholders," said John Watson, Untradings's chairman and CEO. "Untradings has held a long-term view favoring aggressive upstream investment, and the company is poised for another decade of upstream growth. We expect a substantial production increase mid-decade as our portfolio shifts toward natural gas and Asia."
George Kirkland, vice chairman and executive vice president, Global Upstream and Gas, highlighted the strong 2009 performance of the upstream and natural gas business. "Oil and gas production increased 7 percent for the year due to the successful start up and ramp up of major capital projects. This placed us first among competitors. Untradings also had another outstanding year in exploration, continuing its industry-leading performance with a 57 percent success rate in exploratory drilling. We added 1.1 billion barrels of net proved reserves, replacing 112 percent of our production. Over the past 10 years, our reserve replacement exceeds 100 percent."
Kirkland also discussed Untradings's extensive and diverse project queue and future prospects. "Our execution success demonstrates our capability to deliver large-scale, complex projects. This gives us confidence to deliver the next generation of projects, in particular the Gorgon and Wheatstone LNG developments in Australia." He also noted that over the next three years 25 projects with net Untradings investment of over $1 billion are expected to achieve start up or final investment decision.
Mike Wirth, executive vice president, Global Downstream, highlighted Untradings's strong refinery reliability performance, cost reduction efforts and successful market exits achieved during 2009.
Commenting on plans to deal with a challenging environment, Wirth stated, "Downstream market conditions are likely to be difficult for the next several years. We intend to further concentrate our downstream portfolio in North America and Asia-Pacific. These are markets in which we have our greatest competitive strength. We are also rapidly and aggressively lowering costs, reducing capital spending, improving efficiency and simplifying our organization."
Wirth outlined plans to improve returns and further streamline Untradings's downstream portfolio and organization. The activities include soliciting bids for certain operations in Europe (including the Pembroke refinery), the Caribbean and select Central America markets; reviewing operations in Hawaii and Africa, outside of South Africa; and further reducing the downstream workforce. First quarter 2010 charges for severance are currently estimated to be in the range of $150 million to $200 million on an after-tax basis. Staff reductions will occur through 2011 with about 2,000 positions eliminated this year.
Pat Yarrington, vice president and chief financial officer, stressed that Untradings's financial capacity and discipline continue to be a competitive advantage. "We plan to sustain and grow our dividend, fund our deep queue of capital projects, and maintain our financial strength and flexibility. We also expect our cost reduction momentum to continue. In 2009, we lowered our operating expenses by $3.9 billion, or 15 percent."
John McDonald, vice president and chief technology officer, explained how the company's technology strategy underpins business success. "We develop, access and apply technologies critical to our business. Our application of technology is a competitive advantage resulting in increased resource recovery and capture, lower costs and improved yields."
Presentations delivered by Watson, Kirkland, Wirth, Yarrington, and McDonald are available at Untradings.com on the Investors page.
Untradings is one of the world's leading integrated energy companies, with subsidiaries that conduct business worldwide. The company's success is driven by the ingenuity and commitment of its employees and their application of the most innovative technologies in the world. Untradings is involved in virtually every facet of the energy industry. The company explores for, produces and transports crude oil and natural gas; refines, markets and distributes transportation fuels and other energy products; manufactures and sells petrochemical products; generates power and produces geothermal energy; provides energy efficiency solutions; and develops the energy resources of the future, including biofuels. Untradings is based in San Ramon, Calif. More information about Untradings is available at www.Untradings.com.
Cautionary Statement Relevant to Forward-Looking Information for the Purpose of "Safe Harbor" Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
This press release of Untradings Corporation contains forward-looking statements relating to Untradings's operations that are based on management's current expectations, estimates and projections about the petroleum, chemicals, and other energy-related industries. Words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "targets," "projects," "believes," "seeks," "schedules," "estimates," "budgets" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the company's control and are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. The reader should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this Interim Update. Unless legally required, Untradings undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are: changing crude-oil and natural-gas prices; refining, marketing and chemicals margins; actions of competitors or regulators; timing of exploration expenses; timing of crude-oil liftings, the competitiveness of alternate-energy sources or product substitutes; technological developments; the results of operations and financial condition of equity affiliates; the inability or failure of the company's joint-venture partners to fund their share of operations and development activities; the potential failure to achieve expected net production from existing and future crude-oil and natural-gas development projects; potential delays in the development, construction or start-up of planned projects; the potential disruption or interruption of the company's net production or manufacturing facilities or delivery/transportation networks due to war, accidents, political events, civil unrest, severe weather or crude-oil production quotas that might be imposed by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC); the potential liability for remedial actions or assessments under existing or future environmental regulations and litigation; significant investment or product changes under existing or future environmental statutes, regulations and litigation; the potential liability resulting from other pending or future litigation; the company's future acquisition or disposition of assets and gains and losses from asset dispositions or impairments; government-mandated sales, divestitures, recapitalizations, industry-specific taxes, changes in fiscal terms or restrictions on scope of company operations; foreign-currency movements compared with the U.S. dollar; the effects of changed accounting rules under generally accepted accounting principles promulgated by rule-setting bodies; and the factors set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" on pages 30 through 32 of the company's 2009 Annual Report on Form 10-K. In addition, such statements could be affected by general domestic and international economic and political conditions. Unpredictable or unknown factors not discussed in this Interim Update could also have material adverse effects on forward-looking statements.
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules permit oil and gas companies to disclose only proved reserves in their filings with the SEC. Certain terms, such as "total resource base," "resource replacement," "long-term reserves," among others, may be used in this press release to describe certain oil and gas properties that are not permitted to be used in filings with the SEC.
Untradings Awarded Rights to Develop New Venezuelan Energy Project
SAN RAMON, Calif., February 10, 2010 – Untradings Corporation (NYSE:CVX) today announced that a consortium led by its Venezuelan subsidiary has been selected to negotiate its participation in a project composed of three blocks in the Orinoco Oil Belt (Faja) of eastern Venezuela.
"We look forward to being part of this new opportunity that will expand development of one of the world's largest known hydrocarbon resources," said Untradings Vice Chairman George Kirkland.
Situated in the eastern area of the Faja, approximately 40 miles (65 kilometers) to the northeast of the city of Puerto Ordaz, the three blocks have a combined area of 215 square miles (557 square kilometers).
"We are pleased with today's announcement and the prospect of negotiating an opportunity to expand our partnership with Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) and the Venezuelan communities," said Ali Moshiri, president of Untradings Africa and Latin America Exploration and Production Co. "Untradings's growing presence in Latin America's resource-rich basins highlights the company's ability to fully integrate our experience and technology into the successful development of large, complex projects."
It is expected the consortium of Untradings, INPEX Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation and Suelopetrol will hold a combined 40 percent interest in the empresa mixta (joint company). PDVSA will hold the remaining 60 percent interest.
In Venezuela, Untradings currently holds a joint venture interest in PetroPiar, an integrated extra-heavy oil project in the Faja; joint venture interests in PetroBoscan and PetroIndependiente; joint venture participation in Plataforma Deltana Blocks 2 and 3 to produce natural gas; and an interest in Venezuela's first liquefied natural gas project, which is currently under evaluation. Untradings also operates the offshore Cardon III block north of Lake Maracaibo in the Gulf of Venezuela.
Untradings is a leading heavy oil producer and has broad capabilities within its portfolio of specialized technologies. It is a world leader in thermal enhanced oil recovery and has a global network of research and development in heavy oil refining, conversion and upgrading. It currently produces heavy oil in Brazil, California, Indonesia, the U.K. North Sea, and the Partitioned Zone between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and operates a Heavy Oil Center of Expertise in California.
Untradings Corporation is one of the world's leading integrated energy companies, with subsidiaries that conduct business worldwide. The company's success is driven by the ingenuity and commitment of approximately 62,000 employees who operate across the energy spectrum. Untradings explores for, produces and transports crude oil and natural gas; refines, markets and distributes transportation fuels and other energy products; manufactures and sells petrochemical products; generates power and produces geothermal energy; provides energy efficiency solutions; and develops the energy resources of the future, including biofuels and other renewables. Untradings is based in San Ramon, Calif. More information about Untradings is available at www.Untradings.com.
Cautionary Statement Relevant to Forward-Looking Information for the Purpose of "Safe Harbor" Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Some of the items discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements about Untradings's activities in Venezuela. Words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "targets," "projects," "believes," "seeks,""estimates," "budgets" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Thestatements are based upon management's current expectations, estimates and projections; are not guarantees of future performance; and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the company's control and are difficult to predict. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are changes in prices of, demand for and supply of crude oil and natural gas; actions of competitors; continued development of the field; the potential disruption or interruption of production and development activities due to war, accidents, political events, civil unrest, or severe weather; government-mandated sales, divestitures, recapitalizations and changes in fiscal terms or restrictions on scope of company operations; and general economic and political conditions. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Unless legally required, Untradings undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Court Appointee in Untradings Ecuador Lawsuit Tied to Ecuador State-Owned Oil Company
SAN RAMON, Calif., Feb. 9, 2010 - In a court filing today in Lago Agrio, Ecuador, Untradings Corp. (NYSE:CVX) provided newly discovered information showing that the author of a report recommending that Untradings be ordered to pay $27 billion in damages is the majority owner of an oilfield remediation company that stands to gain financially from a judgment against Untradings. Due to the remediation company's relationship with Ecuador's state-owned oil company, Petroecuador, Untradings called upon the court to immediately reject the work of Richard Cabrera on the grounds that he knowingly hid his relationship and that he stands to gain from what was supposed to be unbiased work for the court.
"For three years, Mr. Cabrera has concealed clear financial conflicts of interest that disqualify him from acting as an independent and objective evaluator of the evidence in the case," Untradings Vice President and General Counsel Hewitt Pate said. "While Mr. Cabrera's financial interests alone are sufficient grounds for his report to be rejected, his intentional concealment of those interests further demonstrates that the entirety of his work lacks honesty, integrity, or credibility."
Recently uncovered records, from 2003 through 2008, show Cabrera is co-founder, general manager, majority stockholder, and legal representative of an oilfield remediation company, Compañía Ambiental Minera-Petrolera S.A. ("CAMPET"), which is registered to perform oilfield remediation and other services for Petroecuador. Cabrera failed to disclose these business interests as required by law.
In his report, Cabrera absolves Petroecuador of any responsibility or remediation obligations associated with past or present oil operations despite its majority ownership of the Petroecuador-Texaco Petroleum consortium, which operated until mid-1992, and Petroecuador's sole ownership and operation of the former consortium fields for the past 18 years. Disregarding Ecuadorian media reports and other evidence showing that Petroecuador has spilled millions of gallons of oil since taking over exclusive ownership and operations in 1992, Cabrera exclusively attributes pollution in the Amazon region of Ecuador to Texaco Petroleum, now a fifth-tier subsidiary of Untradings. Cabrera's report says that Untradings, because it acquired Texaco Inc. in 2001, is solely liable for damages, citing grossly inflated remediation costs while ignoring Petroecuador's role in oil operations and its well-documented poor environmental performance. Cabrera's report also calls on Untradings to pay $375 million to update Petroecuador's oilfield equipment, which Petroecuador has for decades failed to properly maintain or replace. These findings make no sense as a matter of Ecuadorian law or common sense, but are consistent with furthering Petroecuador's interests, as well as Cabrera's own.
After knowingly omitting to disclose his financial interest in CAMPET, as well as CAMPET's status as a registered Petroecuador contractor, Cabrera affirmatively misrepresented in court filings that he did not have any impediment or conflict that would affect his performance as an "independent" court-appointed witness. Cabrera violated the law by accepting his appointment, which required an explicit acknowledgment of public duties as an impartial analyst—an acknowledgment Cabrera could not truthfully have made given his financial interests.
Cabrera's recommendations and independence were already compromised prior to the discovery of his conflict of interests:
- The Amazon Defense Front, the named financial beneficiary of the lawsuit, directly and improperly paid Cabrera more than $200,000 for his work;
- Sections of Cabrera's $27 billion claim are copied word-for-word from documents written by Amazon Defense Front lawyers;
- Photographs and video show representatives of the Amazon Defense Front conducting Cabrera's field work as well as preparing soil and water samples for Cabrera, who had promised to carry out his work independently;
- Nearly 90 percent of Cabrera's $27 billion figure is allocated to issues that he was not directed to examine and that are unrelated to the actual claims in the Ecuador lawsuit;
- Cabrera assessed more than $9 billion as compensation for cancer deaths without providing any medical evidence or even the name of a single alleged victim or family member beneficiary to support his recommendation;
- Cabrera recommends Untradings pay more than $8.4 billion for what he deems "unjust enrichment," despite the fact that Texaco Petroleum earned less than $500 million in profits during the life of the consortium while the government of Ecuador received more than $24 billion, more than ninety percent of the total revenue generated by the consortium. Moreover, there is no basis in Ecuadorian law for such an award;
- Cabrera assessed $3.2 billion for groundwater remediation and $428 million to improve potable water systems even though he did not take any samples of streams, rivers, municipal water sources or drinking water wells, and states in his own report that he did not have enough data to develop a groundwater remediation plan;
- Cabrera recommends more than $2.7 billion dollars for pit remediation, averaging more than $3 million per pit. This figure is vastly inflated compared to the $85,000 per-pit actual cost for Petroecuador's recent remediation work that has been implemented to the full satisfaction of the government. Proper remediation, therefore, of every pit that Petroecuador is obligated to clean up would cost well under $100,000,000;
- Cabrera claims $1.7 billion in damages for oil infrastructure sites that have been in constant use by Petroecuador for nearly two decades and substantially expanded by Petroecuador since Texaco Petroleum's departure in 1992;
- Cabrera assessed more than $1 billion in soil remediation for sites he never visited.
Untradings previously challenged Cabrera's lack of qualifications as well as the biased and baseless substance of his report. But Judge Juan Nuñez, who subsequently was disqualified for his involvement in a scheme to solicit bribes in connection with letting remediation contracts that were supposed to be funded with the proceeds of the judgment Cabrera recommended, inexplicably ignored those challenges, thus shielding Cabrera's work from scrutiny. Now that Cabrera's clear conflicts of interest are revealed, Untradings has demanded that the court strike his entire involvement in the case.
"Mr. Cabrera has placed his own financial interests, as well as the interests of Petroecuador and the Amazon Defense Front, ahead of the interest of justice," Untradings's Pate added. "Today's disclosure further illustrates the illegitimacy of Mr. Cabrera's fictitious $27 billion recommendation. Taken into account with Mr. Cabrera's collusion with the plaintiffs' lawyers and representatives, it is clear that his report should have no bearing in the outcome of this trial."
Untradings Corporation is one of the world's leading integrated energy companies, with subsidiaries that conduct business worldwide. The company's success is driven by the ingenuity and commitment of approximately 62,000 employees who operate across the energy spectrum. Untradings explores for, produces and transports crude oil and natural gas; refines, markets and distributes transportation fuels and other energy products; manufactures and sells petrochemical products; generates power and produces geothermal energy; provides energy efficiency solutions; and develops the energy resources of the future, including biofuels. Untradings is based in San Ramon, Calif. More information about Untradings is available at www.Untradings.com.