? 短期內北海地區對油氣運營商來說仍然是一個不錯的市場  

? 伍德麥肯茲：英國北海油氣運營商今年將看到接近紀錄的現金保證金和利潤 

? 在最近的兩次經濟衰退期間，油氣運營商大幅削減成本，而當前強勁的商品價格將提高油氣運營商的現金流  

據美國油價網2022年1月10日報道，全球著名能源咨詢公司伍德麥肯茲表示，由于英國北海油氣運營商將在一個“機不可失”的監管環境下在油氣價格高企之際尋求延長油田的開采壽命，他們今年將看到接近歷史最高水平的現金保證金和利潤。  

盡管油田開發審批和英國凈零目標方面的長期不確定性仍對石油天然氣行業構成巨大威脅，但短期來看，北海對油氣運營商來說仍然是一個不錯的市場。 

伍德麥肯茲表示：“2022年的產量增長和接近歷史最高水平的現金流將加強資產負債表，讓經濟學家感到高興。” 

根據天空新聞頻道援引的伍德麥肯茲的分析，英國北海的油氣運營商預計在2021年獲得了170億美元的現金流，并將在2022年獲得180億美元的現金流。

伍德麥肯茲表示，在最近的兩次經濟衰退期間，北海油氣運營商大幅削減了成本，加上當前強勁的大宗商品價格，將使油氣運營商的現金流增長到2008年金融危機之前的水平。 

盡管短期內會產生大量現金流，但英國北海地區的油氣運營商面臨著未來油氣田開發計劃和納稅義務的不確定性，因為英國有望在2050年前實現凈零碳排放經濟，并大幅減少北海油氣業務的碳排放。  

伍德麥肯茲表示，由于這種不確定性，英國政府可能在2022年批準至多12個油氣項目，油氣運營商可能將今年視為提出新開發計劃的“機不可失”時刻的最后一個機會窗口。

英國北海油氣運營商接近歷史最高水平的現金流是在英國努力尋找能源危機解決方案之時出現，飆升的能源價格已經造成了一些人所說的“生活成本危機”。

“英國政府不愿意關閉這個為英國提供73%能源和滿足47%天然氣需求的油氣行業。 但有關部門最近提議，新項目的開發必須通過所謂的凈零兼容性測試。”

英國政府去年12月召開咨詢會議，尋求為油氣行業建立一個新的氣候兼容性檢查站，并表示，如果通過凈零測試，英國仍將允許在北海開發新的油氣田。 

OGUK供應鏈和運營總監Katy Heidenreich表示：“至關重要的是，這一檢查站應是健全的，并確保未來幾輪許可證出售招標與英國的氣候變化雄心兼容，同時保持投資者對英國大陸架的信心。”

李峻 編譯自 美國油價網

原文如下：

North Sea Oil Operators Set For Near Record Cash Flows

·     The North Sea still looks pretty good for oil and gas operators in the short term

·     WoodMac: UK North Sea operators will see near-record cash margins and profits this year

·     Massive cost cuts during the two most recent downturns and the current strong commodity prices will boost operators’ cash flow generation

UK North Sea operators will see near-record cash margins and profits this year as they will look to extend field lives amid high oil and gas prices in a “now or never” regulatory environment, energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie says.  

The North Sea still looks pretty good for oil and gas operators in the short term, although long-term uncertainties over field development approvals and the UK’s net-zero goals continue to loom large over the industry.  

“Production growth and near record cash flows in 2022 will strengthen balance sheets and keep economists happy,” Wood Mackenzie said.

Operators in the UK North Sea are expected to have booked $17 billion in cash flows in 2021 and to book another $18 billion cash flows in 2022, per WoodMac’s analysis cited by Sky News.

The massive cost cuts during the two most recent downturns and the current strong commodity prices will boost operators’ cash flow generation to the levels last seen before the 2008 crisis, according to Wood Mackenzie.

Despite the short-term windfall in cash flow generation, operators in the UK North Sea face uncertainties about future field development plans and tax liabilities as the UK looks to become a net-zero economy by 2050 and to significantly reduce the carbon emissions of North Sea oil and gas operations.

Due to this uncertainty, as much as 12 oil and gas projects could be sanctioned by the UK government in 2022 as operators could see this year as the last window of opportunity in a “now or never” moment to propose new developments, WoodMac says.

The UK government is not willing to shut down the sector that provides 73 percent of the UK’s energy and meets 47 percent of its natural gas demand. But authorities have recently proposed that new project developments pass a so-called net-zero compatibility test.

The UK will still allow the development of new oil and gas oilfields in the North Sea if they pass a net-zero test, the government said last month as it opened a consultation seeking input on a new climate compatibility checkpoint for the oil and gas industry.

“It is vital that this checkpoint is robust and ensures that future licensing rounds are compatible with the UK’s climate change ambitions while maintaining investor confidence in the UK Continental Shelf,” said Katy Heidenreich, Supply Chain & Operations Director at OGUK.