SAN RAMON, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) has established new goals to reduce net greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity from upstream oil and natural gas. Emission intensity is the emission rate of greenhouse gas per unit of energy produced. The company intends to lower upstream oil net GHG emission intensity by 5 - 10 percent and upstream natural gas net GHG emission intensity by 2 - 5 percent from 2016 to 2023. The timing is aligned with stocktake milestones set in the Paris Agreement on climate change.
The GHG emission intensity reduction metrics apply to all upstream Chevron oil and natural gas, whether Chevron has operational control or not.
“Global demand for energy continues to grow, and we are committed to delivering more energy with less environmental impact,” said Michael Wirth, Chevron's chairman and CEO.
The new reduction goals build on other actions Chevron is taking to address climate change by lowering the company’s carbon intensity, increasing its use of renewable energy and investing in breakthrough technologies. Earlier this year, the company established reduction goals for methane emission intensity and flaring intensity.
Chevron is a member of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative and is helping fund a $1+ billion effort to develop new technologies and businesses to reduce GHG emissions. Chevron also established a Future Energy venture capital fund to invest in technology to reduce GHG emissions and enable a greater diversity of energy sources. The company has also invested more than $1 billion in carbon capture and storage projects in Australia and Canada which are expected to reduce GHG emissions by about 5 million metric tons per year. Chevron is using renewable electricity to power some of its operations in California and Texas.
“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a global issue that requires global engagement and action,” said Wirth. “We are taking action, while continuing to deliver the affordable, reliable, ever-cleaner energy that enables human progress.”
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CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS RELEVANT TO FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF “SAFE HARBOR” PROVISIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995 NOTICE
This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to Chevron’s operations that are based on management’s current expectations, estimates and projections about the petroleum, chemicals and other energy-related industries. Words or phrases such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “targets,” “forecasts,” “projects,” “believes,” “seeks,” “schedules,” “estimates,” “positions,” “pursues,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “will,” “budgets,” “outlook,” “trends,” ”guidance,” “focus,” “on schedule,” “on track,” “is slated,” “goals,” “objectives,” “strategies,” “opportunities,” “poised” 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, many 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 news release. Unless legally required, Chevron 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; changing refining, marketing and chemicals margins; the company's ability to realize anticipated cost savings and expenditure reductions; 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 the company's suppliers, vendors, partners and equity affiliates, particularly during extended periods of low prices for crude oil and natural gas; 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 operations due to war, accidents, political events, civil unrest, severe weather, cyber threats and terrorist acts, crude oil production quotas or other actions that might be imposed by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producing countries, or other natural or human causes beyond the company’s control; changing economic, regulatory and political environments in the various countries in which the company operates; general domestic and international economic and political conditions; the potential liability for remedial actions or assessments under existing or future environmental regulations and litigation; significant operational, investment or product changes required by existing or future environmental statutes and regulations, including international agreements and national or regional legislation and regulatory measures to limit or reduce greenhouse gas emissions; the potential liability resulting from pending or future litigation; the company’s future acquisitions or dispositions of assets or shares or the delay or failure of such transactions to close based on required closing conditions; the potential for gains and losses from asset dispositions or impairments; government-mandated sales, divestitures, recapitalizations, industry-specific taxes, tariffs, sanctions, changes in fiscal terms or restrictions on scope of company operations; foreign currency movements compared with the U.S. dollar; material reductions in corporate liquidity and access to debt markets; the effects of changed accounting rules under generally accepted accounting principles promulgated by rule-setting bodies; the company's ability to identify and mitigate the risks and hazards inherent in operating in the global energy industry; and the factors set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” on pages 18 through 21 of the company’s 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K and in subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Other unpredictable or unknown factors not discussed in this news release could also have material adverse effects on forward-looking statements.