Six months 2019 vs. six months 2018
Net income in the first six months of 2019 was $1,505 million, or $1.94 per share on a diluted basis, up from net income of $712 million or $0.86 per share in the first six months of 2018. 2019 results include a favourable impact, largely
non-cash,
of $662 million associated with the Alberta corporate income tax rate decrease. On June 28, 2019, the Alberta government enacted a 4 percent decrease in the provincial tax rate, from 12 percent to 8 percent by 2022.
Upstream net income was $1,043 million for the first six months of the year, reflecting the favourable impact associated with the decreased Alberta corporate income tax rate of $689 million. Excluding this impact, 2019 net income was $354 million, an increase of $404 million compared to a net loss of $50 million in the same period of 2018. Improved results reflect higher volumes of about $330 million, primarily at Syncrude, Kearl and Norman Wells, as well as the impact of higher Canadian crude oil realizations of about $260 million and favourable foreign exchange impacts of about $60 million. Results were negatively impacted by higher operating expenses of about $180 million and higher royalties of about $80 million.
West Texas Intermediate averaged US$57.45 per barrel in the first six months of 2019, down from US$65.44 per barrel in the same period of 2018. Western Canada Select averaged US$45.88 per barrel and US$43.74 per barrel for the same periods. The WTI / WCS differential narrowed to average approximately US$12 per barrel in the first six months of 2019, from around US$22 per barrel in the same period of 2018.
The Canadian dollar averaged US$0.75 in the first six months of 2019, a decrease of $0.03 from the same period in 2018.
Imperial’s average Canadian dollar realizations for bitumen increased in the first six months of 2019, supported primarily by lower diluent costs and an increase in WCS. Bitumen realizations averaged $53.20 per barrel, up from $41.84 per barrel from the same period in 2018. The company’s average Canadian dollar realizations for synthetic crude declined generally in line with WTI, adjusted for changes in exchange rates and transportation costs. Synthetic crude realizations averaged $74.77 per barrel, compared to $81.24 per barrel from the same period in 2018.
Gross production of Cold Lake bitumen averaged 140,000 barrels per day in the first six months of 2019, compared to 143,000 barrels per day in the same period of 2018.
Gross production of Kearl bitumen averaged 193,000 barrels per day in the first six months of 2019 (137,000 barrels Imperial’s share) up from 181,000 barrels per day (128,000 barrels Imperial’s share) in the same period of 2018. Higher production was mainly due to improved reliability.
During the first six months of 2019, the company’s share of gross production from Syncrude averaged 79,000 barrels per day, up from 57,000 barrels per day in the same period of 2018. Higher production was mainly due to the absence of turnaround activities and impacts from the 2018 power disruption.
Downstream net income was $515 million for the first six months of 2019, compared to $722 million for the same period of 2018. Earnings were negatively impacted by lower margins of about $210 million, reliability events of about $130 million, including the Sarnia tower incident, and lower sales volumes of about $70 million. These factors were partially offset by lower net turnaround impacts of about $150 million and favourable foreign exchange effects of about $70 million.
Refinery throughput averaged 364,000 barrels per day in the first six months of 2019, compared to 386,000 barrels per day in the same period of 2018. Capacity utilization was 86 percent, compared to 91 percent in the same period of 2018. Reduced throughput was mainly due to the impact of a planned turnaround and the tower incident at Sarnia, partially offset by the absence of the 2018 planned turnaround at Strathcona.
Petroleum product sales were 477,000 barrels per day in the first six months of 2019, compared to 494,000 barrels per day in the same period of 2018. Lower petroleum product sales were mainly due to lower refinery throughput.