A conference call and webcast to discuss the 2020 fourth quarter and full-year results and the 2021 Outlook will be held at 9 a.m. MT on February 18, 2021. In addition to the release, supplemental slides and financial statements will be available on the Company’s website, located at www.ovintiv.com. The Company also issued a separate release today on its enhanced compensation, governance, and environmental initiatives. To participate in the conference call, please dial 888-664-6383 (toll-free in North America) or 416-764-8650 (international) approximately 15 minutes prior to the call. The live audio webcast of the conference call, including slides, will also be available on Ovintiv’s website, under Investors/Presentations and Events, and will be archived for approximately 90 days.
Multi-Year Debt Reduction Target
Reducing debt is Ovintiv’s number one priority. The Company today set a year-end 2022 goal to reduce absolute debt to $4.5 billion, a 35% reduction from year-end 2020. This target includes $1 billion in divestment proceeds and maintaining crude and condensate production of approximately 200 Mbbls/d. The Company’s previously announced leverage target of 1.5 times net-debt-to adjusted EBITDA and its long-term reinvestment framework of less than 75% of annual non-GAAP Cash Flow were reaffirmed.
Sale of Duvernay Assets
The Company through a wholly owned subsidiary, has agreed to sell its Duvernay assets for approximately $263 million including approximately $12 million in contingency payments based on future commodity prices. The agreement is subject to ordinary closing conditions, regulatory approvals and other adjustments and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021. Duvernay production averaged approximately 10 MBOE/d (43% liquids) in the fourth quarter of 2020. Ovintiv will update its guidance once the transaction has closed.
“Today’s announcement of the sale of our Duvernay asset combined with our strong fourth quarter and 2021 guide clearly demonstrate our commitment to debt reduction and puts us squarely on track to achieve our $4.5 billion dollar year-end 2022 goal,” said Suttles.
Full Year and Fourth Quarter 2020 Financial and Operating Results
For 2020, the Company recorded a net loss of $6.1 billion, or ($23.47) per share of common stock, driven primarily by a non-cash ceiling test impairment of $5,580 million, before-tax, related to the decline in 12-month average trailing commodity prices which reduced SEC proved reserves (see proved reserves table within this release). Non-GAAP operating earnings were $91 million, or $0.35 per share of common stock.
The Company recorded a net loss in the fourth quarter of $614 million, or ($2.36) per share of common stock. Cash from operating activities for the fourth quarter was $719 million and non-GAAP Cash Flow was $692 million.
Production Summary and Asset Highlights
Ovintiv’s significantly higher than expected fourth quarter production was largely driven by strong well results across the portfolio. The Company’s cube development approach and innovative completion designs continued to deliver industry-leading capital efficiencies. Fourth quarter crude oil and condensate volumes were 215 Mbbls/d. Fourth quarter liquids production averaged 297 Mbbls/d and total Company production was 557 MBOE/d.
For the year, total production averaged 544 MBOE/d including liquids production of 289 Mbbls/d. See the “Capital Investment and Production” table below.
In the fourth quarter, Ovintiv set new, record-low well costs in each of its Core 3 assets. The Company exceeded its stated goal of reducing 2020 well costs by 20% when compared to 2019 averages by delivering cost reductions of 25% or greater during the quarter.
“Ovintiv has demonstrated industry-leading capital efficiencies across our portfolio,” said Suttles. “The efforts of our teams to consistently find innovative ways to reduce costs have led to sustainable capital savings that will be durable even as commodity prices improve. More importantly, they never lost their focus on safety and 2020 marks our ‘safest year ever’ for the seventh consecutive year.”