IMPERIAL OIL LIMITED
Second quarter 2020 vs. second quarter 2019
The company recorded a net loss of $526 million or $0.72 per share on a diluted basis in the second quarter of 2020, compared to net income of $1,212 million or $1.57 per share in the same period of 2019. Second quarter 2020 results include a reversal of the non-cash inventory revaluation charge of $281 million recorded in the first quarter of 2020. Second quarter 2019 results included a favourable impact, largely non-cash, of $662 million associated with the Alberta corporate income tax rate decrease.
Upstream recorded a net loss of $444 million in the second quarter of 2020, compared to net income of $985 million in the same period of 2019. Results were negatively impacted by lower realizations of about $1,210 million, the absence of a favourable impact of $689 million associated with the Alberta corporate income tax rate decrease in 2019, and lower volumes of about $200 million. These items were partially offset by a reversal of the non-cash inventory revaluation charge of $229 million recorded in the first quarter of 2020, lower royalties of about $200 million, lower operating expenses of about $170 million, and favourable foreign exchange effects of about $60 million.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) averaged US$27.83 per barrel in the second quarter of 2020, down from US$59.91 per barrel in the same quarter of 2019. Western Canada Select (WCS) averaged US$16.73 per barrel and US$49.31 per barrel for the same periods. The WTI / WCS differential averaged approximately US$11 per barrel for the second quarter of 2020, essentially unchanged from the same period of 2019.
The Canadian dollar averaged US$0.72 in the second quarter of 2020, a decrease of US$0.03 from the second quarter of 2019.
Imperial’s average Canadian dollar realizations for bitumen decreased in the quarter, primarily due to a decrease in WCS. Bitumen realizations averaged $12.82 per barrel in the second quarter of 2020, compared to $57.19 per barrel in the second quarter of 2019. The company’s average Canadian dollar realizations for synthetic crude decreased generally in line with WTI, adjusted for changes in exchange rates and transportation costs. Synthetic crude realizations averaged $32.20 per barrel in the second quarter of 2020, compared to $79.96 per barrel in the same period of 2019.
Total gross production of Kearl bitumen averaged 190,000 barrels per day in the second quarter (135,000 barrels Imperial’s share), compared to 207,000 barrels per day (147,000 barrels Imperial’s share) in the second quarter of 2019. Lower production was mainly due to the balancing of near-term production with demand through the advancement and extension of planned turnaround activities, at one of Kearl’s two plants, partially offset by the addition of supplemental crushing facilities in 2020.
Gross production of Cold Lake bitumen averaged 123,000 barrels per day in the second quarter, compared to 135,000 barrels per day in the same period of 2019. Lower production was mainly due to production timing associated with steam management and maintenance.
The company’s share of gross production from Syncrude averaged 50,000 barrels per day, compared to 80,000 barrels per day in the second quarter of 2019. Lower production was mainly due to the balancing of near-term production with demand and a revised turnaround schedule.
Downstream recorded a net loss of $32 million in the second quarter of 2020, compared to net income of $258 million in the same period of 2019. Results were negatively impacted by lower margins of about $400 million including the effects of reduced demand from the COVID-19 pandemic, and lower sales volumes of about $120 million. These items were partially offset by improved reliability of about $100 million, primarily due to the absence of the Sarnia fractionation tower incident which occurred in April 2019, lower operating expenses of about $90 million, and a reversal of the non-cash inventory revaluation charge of $52 million recorded in the first quarter of 2020.
Refinery throughput averaged 278,000 barrels per day, compared to 344,000 barrels per day in the second quarter of 2019. Capacity utilization was 66 percent, compared to 81 percent in the second quarter of 2019. Lower throughput was primarily due to reduced demand from the COVID-19 pandemic, partially offset by improved reliability mainly driven by the absence of the Sarnia fractionation tower incident.
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