Key Development:
- Sanctioned development of Whiptail, the sixth development on the Stabroek Block, offshore Guyana; expected to add gross production capacity of approximately 250,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) by the end of 2027
First Quarter Financial and Operational Highlights:
- Net income was $972 million, or $3.16 per share, compared with net income of $346 million, or $1.13 per share, in the first quarter of 2023
- Oil and gas net production was 476,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), up 27% from 374,000 boepd in the first quarter of 2023
- Bakken net production was 190,000 boepd, up 17% from 163,000 boepd in the first quarter of 2023; Guyana net production was 190,000 bopd, up 70% from 112,000 bopd in the prior-year quarter
- E&P capital and exploratory expenditures were $927 million, compared with $765 million in the prior-year quarter
Hess Corporation has reported net income of $972 million, or $3.16 per share, in the first quarter of 2024, compared with net income of $346 million, or $1.13 per share, in the first quarter of 2023. The increase in after-tax earnings compared with the prior-year quarter primarily reflects higher production volumes in the first quarter of 2024.
Exploration and Production:
E&P net income was $997 million in the first quarter of 2024, compared with $405 million in the first quarter of 2023. The Corporation’s average realized crude oil selling price was $80.06 per barrel in the first quarter of 2024, compared with $74.23 per barrel, including the effect of hedging, in the prior-year quarter. The average realized natural gas liquids (NGL) selling price in the first quarter of 2024 was $22.97 per barrel, compared with $24.25 per barrel in the prior-year quarter, while the average realized natural gas selling price was $4.62 per mcf, compared with $4.39 per mcf in the first quarter of 2023.
Net production was 476,000 boepd in the first quarter of 2024, compared with 374,000 boepd in the first quarter of 2023, primarily due to higher production in Guyana and the Bakken. In the second quarter of 2024, E&P net production is expected to be in the range of 465,000 boepd to 475,000 boepd, reflecting planned maintenance in the Gulf of Mexico partially offset by growth in the Bakken.
Cash operating costs, which include operating costs and expenses, production and severance taxes, and E&P general and administrative expenses, were $10.79 per barrel of oil equivalent (boe) in the first quarter of 2024, compared with $12.96 per boe in the prior-year quarter, primarily due to higher production volumes.
Operational Highlights for the First Quarter of 2024:
Bakken (Onshore U.S.): Net production from the Bakken was 190,000 boepd in the first quarter of 2024, compared with 163,000 boepd in the prior-year quarter, primarily reflecting increased drilling and completion activity as well as higher NGL and natural gas volumes received under percentage of proceeds contracts due to lower commodity prices. NGL and natural gas volumes received under percentage of proceeds contracts were 19,000 boepd in the first quarter of 2024, compared with 14,000 boepd in the first quarter of 2023, due to increasing volumes received as consideration for gas processing fees. During the first quarter of 2024, the Corporation operated four rigs and drilled 31 wells, completed 21 wells, and brought 34 new wells online. The Corporation plans to continue operating four drilling rigs in 2024.
Gulf of Mexico (Offshore U.S.): Net production from the Gulf of Mexico in the first quarter of 2024 was 31,000 boepd, compared with 33,000 boepd in the prior-year quarter.
Guyana (Offshore): At the Stabroek Block (Hess – 30%), net production totaled 190,000(1) bopd in the first quarter of 2024, compared with 112,000(1) bopd in the prior-year quarter. The third development on the block, Payara, which commenced production in November 2023, reached its initial production capacity of approximately 220,000 gross bopd in January 2024. In the first quarter of 2024, 15 cargos of crude oil were sold from Guyana, compared with nine cargos in the prior-year quarter. In the second quarter of 2024, 13 cargos of crude oil are expected to be sold.
The fourth development on the block, Yellowtail, was sanctioned in April 2022 with a production capacity of approximately 250,000 gross bopd and first production expected in 2025. The fifth development, Uaru, was sanctioned in April 2023 with a production capacity of approximately 250,000 gross bopd and first production expected in 2026. The sixth development, Whiptail, was sanctioned in April 2024 and is expected to add production capacity of approximately 250,000 gross bopd by the end of 2027.
The successful Bluefin-1 exploration well encountered approximately 197 feet of high-quality hydrocarbon bearing sandstone reservoirs. The well was drilled in 4,244 feet of water and is located approximately 5 miles southeast of the Sailfin-1 discovery.
Southeast Asia (Offshore): Net production at North Malay Basin and JDA was 65,000 boepd in the first quarter of 2024, compared with 66,000 boepd in the prior-year quarter.
Midstream:
The Midstream segment had net income of $67 million in the first quarter of 2024, compared with net income of $61 million in the prior-year quarter.
In March 2024, Hess Midstream Operations LP (HESM Opco), a consolidated subsidiary of Hess Midstream LP (HESM), repurchased approximately 2.8 million HESM Opco Class B units held by Hess Corporation and Global Infrastructure Partners for $100 million, of which the Corporation received $38 million. The repurchase of the Class B units was financed by HESM Opco’s revolving credit facility. The Corporation continues to own approximately 37.8% of HESM on a consolidated basis.
Corporate, Interest and Other:
After-tax expense for Corporate, Interest and Other was $92 million in the first quarter of 2024, compared with $120 million in the first quarter of 2023. Corporate and other expenses decreased by $11 million in the first quarter of 2024, primarily due to lower legal and professional fees. Interest expense decreased by $17 million in the first quarter of 2024, reflecting higher capitalized interest.
Capital and Exploratory Expenditures: E&P capital and exploratory expenditures were $927 million in the first quarter of 2024, compared with $765 million in the prior-year quarter, primarily due to increased drilling activity in the Gulf of Mexico. Full year 2024 E&P capital and exploratory expenditures are expected to be approximately $4.2 billion.
Midstream capital expenditures were $35 million in the first quarter of 2024 and $57 million in the prior-year quarter.
Liquidity:
Excluding the Midstream segment, Hess Corporation had cash and cash equivalents of $1.4 billion and debt and finance lease obligations totaling $5.6 billion at March 31, 2024. The Midstream segment had cash and cash equivalents of $5 million and total debt of $3.3 billion at March 31, 2024. The Corporation’s debt to capitalization ratio as defined in its debt covenants was 31.9% at March 31, 2024 and 33.6% at December 31, 2023.
Net cash provided by operating activities was $885 million in the first quarter of 2024, compared with $638 million in the first quarter of 2023. Net cash provided by operating activities before changes in operating assets and liabilities(2) was $1,729 million in the first quarter of 2024, compared with $1,032 million in the prior-year quarter, primarily due to higher production volumes. Changes in operating assets and liabilities decreased cash flow from operating activities by $844 million in the first quarter of 2024, primarily due to an increase in accounts receivable related to Guyana oil liftings and a decrease in accrued liabilities which includes a payment in connection with the HONX, Inc. settlement. Changes in operating assets and liabilities decreased cash flow from operating activities by $394 million in the first quarter of 2023.
1. Net production from Guyana included 33,000 bopd of tax barrels in the first quarter of 2024 and 15,000 bopd of tax barrels in the first quarter
of 2023.
2. 'Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities before changes in operating assets and liabilities' is a non-GAAP financial measure. The reconciliation to its nearest GAAP equivalent measure, and its definition, appear on pages 5 and 6, respectively.
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Source: Hess
