Devon’s STACK assets also delivered strong results during the quarter. Total production in the STACK advanced 26 percent compared to the second quarter of 2017. Driven by several strong wells across the play, oil production delivered the highest growth rate, increasing 41 percent year over year.
In Canada, net oil production averaged 109,000 barrels per day in the second quarter. Scheduled maintenance at the company’s Jackfish facility curtailed production by approximately 15,000 barrels per day. Also contributing to lower production was a 2 percentage point increase in royalty rates because of higher commodity prices and improved profitability.
Overall, total companywide production averaged 541,000 Boe per day in the second quarter. Oil accounted for the largest component of the product mix at 45 percent of total volumes. For additional details on Devon’s E&P operations in the quarter, please refer to the company’s second-quarter 2018 operations report atwww.devonenergy.com.
Light-Oil Production Growth on Track to Increase 16 Percent in 2018
With the strong well productivity Devon has achieved year to date in the U.S.,light-oil production growth is on track to advance 16 percent in 2018. This growth rate is trending at approximately 200 basis points above the company’s original budget expectations.
The incremental oil growth in the U.S. is expected to be delivered without an increase to Devon’s capital activity. This disciplined investment program positions the company to generate free cash flow in the second half of 2018 at today’s market prices.
EnLink Ownership Interests Monetized at 12 Times Cash Flow
Inmid-July, Devon completed the sale of its ownership interests in EnLink Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE: ENLK) and EnLink Midstream, LLC (NYSE: ENLC) for $3.125 billion. The company’s interests in EnLink generated $265 million of cash distributions over the past year, valuing the investment at approximately 12 times cash flow. Devon expects no incremental corporate cash taxes resulting from this sale.
With the closing of the EnLink transaction, combined with other minor asset sales achieved to date, total proceeds from Devon’s divestiture program have now reached $4.2 billion. The company expects to monetize an additional $1 billion of minor,non-core assets across the United States byyear-end. These divestiture packages include undeveloped leasehold in the southern Delaware Basin, enhanced oil recovery projects in the Rockies and Midland Basin along with Wise County acreage in the Barnett Shale. Data rooms are open for the majority of these packages and bids are expected throughout the second half of 2018.
Industry-Leading Share-Repurchase Program Increased to $4 Billion
In conjunction with closing the EnLink transaction, Devon’s board of directors authorized an increase in the company’s share-repurchase program to $4 billion. This authorization represents the largest share-repurchase program in the upstream industry when measured as a percentage of market capitalization. At the end of July, Devon had repurchased 24 million shares, or nearly 5 percent of outstanding shares, at a total cost of approximately $1 billion.
For the remaining share-repurchase authorization, the company plans to utilize a series of accelerated stock repurchase programs (ASR) that are expected to commence in early August. With these ASR programs, Devon expects to complete its $4 billion share-repurchase program during the first half of 2019. Detailed forward-looking guidance on share count is provided later in this release.
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