{"text":[[{"start":10.45,"text":"Chevron will prioritise boosting shareholder returns over production growth over the next five years, according to a new business plan that emphasises cutting costs and reducing capital expenditure."}],[{"start":25.549999999999997,"text":"The US oil major said on Wednesday that it expected to increase earnings per share and free cash flow by more than 10 per cent a year to 2030 at an average Brent crude price of $70 per barrel."}],[{"start":41.64,"text":"Oil and gas production is forecast to rise 2 to 3 per cent annually over the same period, with the company cutting annual capital expenditure by about $1bn to a range of between $18bn and $21bn."}],[{"start":59.59,"text":"Chevron’s focus on sweating assets to boost profits contrasts with that of larger rival ExxonMobil, which has been increasing capital investment to boost production despite sliding oil prices. "}],[{"start":73.28,"text":"“It’s modest growth. We’re focused on growing free cash flow, not volume. That’s the difference,” Eimear Bonner, Chevron chief financial officer, said in an interview ahead of the company’s investor day in New York."}],[{"start":89.42,"text":"“It’s much more value-focused: growing free cash flow, growing earnings, growing returns, improving ROCE [return on capital employed], doing that by getting more capital efficient, more cost competitive. So, it’s not a volume story for us, it’s a value story,” she added. "}],[{"start":111.26,"text":"Chevron plans to continue to buy back an annual $10bn to $20bn of its shares through to 2030, assuming average oil prices of between $60 and $80 per barrel. Brent at present trades at $64.75 per barrel."}],[{"start":131.3,"text":"Chevron has enjoyed a turnaround in its fortunes over the past six months after winning a bruising battle with Exxon over its $53bn acquisition of US oil company Hess. The deal boosted Chevron’s oil production to a record 4.1mn barrels a day, not far below Exxon’s tally of 4.8mn barrels a day."}],[{"start":157.03,"text":"Chevron is pursuing growth in other sectors, with two major chemicals projects due to start in 2027 and the opening of its first gas power plant to supply internet data centres in Texas."}],[{"start":171.21,"text":"Chevron and Exxon have both announced plans to enter the electricity supply business to capitalise on the boom in artificial intelligence technologies. Chevron expects to make a final decision on the first plant early next year, according to an investor presentation."}],[{"start":190.49,"text":"“We are in exclusive negotiations with a premier customer,” said Bonner, adding that Chevron expected “double-digit returns” from the project."}],[{"start":200.47,"text":"Bonner said the company remained focused on lowering costs and was targeting $3bn to $4bn in structural savings by the end of 2026."}],[{"start":212.25,"text":"Chevron announced in February that it would lay off up to 20 per cent of its workforce, which is expected to reduce headcount to just under 38,000, down from 58,000 a decade earlier. "}],[{"start":226.88,"text":"Bonner said the reduction reflected the fact that many of the large capital projects of the previous decade had ended, technology had changed and the business had become more efficient."}],[{"start":238.92,"text":"“We have evolved as those things in the portfolio have evolved,” she said."}],[{"start":252.99999999999997,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1762990279_6856.mp3"}