interest in the Danish Underground Consortium in Denmark. Acquisitions(10) completed were $8,314 million for the full-year 2018, including $4,493 million in resource acquisitions(11), comprised of the extension of licenses in Nigeria and the acquisition of a network of service stations in Brazil, as well as notably the acquisitions of Direct Énergie, Engie’s LNG business, the increase in the share of Novatek to 19.4%, interests in the Iara and Lapa fields in Brazil, two new40-year offshore concessions in Abu Dhabi, which follow the previous Abu Dhabi Marine Areas Ltd (ADMA) offshore concession, and the acquisition of offshore assets from Cobalt in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Group’s cash flow from operating activities for the full-year 2019 was $24,685 million compared to $24,703 million for the full-year 2018. The change in working capital at replacement cost for the full-year 2019, which is the increase in working capital of $1,718 million as determined in accordance with IFRS adjusted for thepre-tax inventory valuation effect of $446 million, was $1,272 million, compared to $174 million for the full-year 2018. Operating cash flow excluding the change in working capital at replacement cost for the full-year 2019 was $26,432 million(12), an increase of 8% compared to $24,529 million for the full-year 2018. Operating cash flow excluding the change in working capital at replacement cost and excluding financial charges (DACF) for the full-year 2019 was $28,501 million, an increase of 9% compared to $26,067 million for the full-year 2018. The Group’s net cash flow(13) remained stable in 2019 at $8,983 million for the full-year 2019, compared to 8,961 for the full-year 2018. Thestart-up of strong cash flow generating projects such as Yamal LNG in Russia, Ichthys in Australia, Kaombo in Angola and Egina in Nigeria offset the impact of lower Brent and gas prices.
See also “- 5.4 Liquidity and Capital Resources”, below.
2018 vs. 2017
In 2018, market conditions were more favorable than in 2017. The Brent price rose to $71.3/b on average in 2018 from $54.2/b in 2017, while remaining volatile. In 2018, TOTAL’s average liquids price realization(14) increased by 28% to $64.2/b in 2018 from $50.2/b in 2017. TOTAL’s average gas price realization(14) increased by 19% to $4.87/Mbtu in 2018 from $4.09/Mbtu in 2017. The Group’s VCM Indicator decreased by 16% to $38.2/t on average in 2018 compared to $45.6/t in 2017.
For the full-year 2018, hydrocarbon production was 2,775 kboe/d, an increase of more than 8% compared to 2,566 in 2017, due to:
- | | +9% forstart-ups andramp-ups on new projects, notably Yamal LNG, Moho Nord, Fort Hills, Kashagan, Kaombo Norte and Ichthys; |
- | | +3% portfolio effect. The addition of Maersk Oil, Al Shaheen in Qatar, Waha in Libya, Lapa and Iara in Brazil as well as the acquisition of an additional 0.5% of Novatek were partially offset by the expiration of the Mahakam permit at the end of 2017 and the sales of Visund in Norway and Rabi in Gabon; and |
- | | -4% for natural field declines and PSC price effect (15). |
The euro-dollar exchange rate averaged $1.1810/€ in 2018, compared to $1.1297/€ in 2017.
Non-Group sales were $209,363 million in 2018 compared to $171,493 million in 2017, an increase of 22% reflecting the increased hydrocarbon prices and Group production.Non-Group sales increased by 52% for the Exploration & Production segment, 16% for the Integrated Gas, Renewables & Power segment, 22% for the Refining & Chemicals segment and 21% for the Marketing & Services segment.
Net income (Group share) in 2018 increased by 33% to $11,446 million in 2018 compared to $8,631 million in 2017, mainly due to higher hydrocarbon prices and growth of the Group’s production. Adjustments to net income (Group share), which include theafter-tax inventory effect, special items and the impact of changes in fair value, had a negative impact of $2,113 million in 2018, mainly due to an inventory effect and impairments on Ichthys related to the sale of a partial interest by the Group, as well as the impairment of production facilities by SunPower(16). For a detailed overview of adjustment items for 2018, refer to Note 3 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in the Universal Registration Document 2019 (starting onpage 296), which is incorporated herein by reference. In 2017, adjustments to net income (Group share), which included special items of $(2,213) million andafter-tax inventory valuation effect of $282 million, had a negative impact on net income (Group share) of $1,947 million. Special items in 2017 included mainly impairments of Fort Hills in Canada (following the operator announcement of the increase of the project’s costs), Gladstone LNG in Australia and assets in Congo, partially offset by a gain on the sale of Atotech. Excluding these items, adjusted net income increased by 28% to $13,559 million in 2018, compared to $10,578 million in 2017, in line with the contribution from the segments.
Income taxes in 2018 amounted to $6,516 million, 2.2 times higher than $3,029 million in 2017, due to the relative weight and higher tax rates in the Exploration & Production segment in a higher hydrocarbon price environment.
(11) “Resource acquisitions” = acquisition of a participating interest in an oil and gas mining property by way of an assignment of rights and obligations in the corresponding permit or license and related contracts, with a view to producing the recoverable oil and gas.
(12) Operating cash flow before working capital changes is defined as cash flow from operating activities before changes in working capital at replacement cost.
(13) Net cash flow = operating cash flow before working capital changes - net investments (including other transactions with non-controlling interests).
(14) Consolidated subsidiaries, excluding stock value variation.
(15) The “PSC price effect” refers to the impact of changing hydrocarbon prices on entitlement volumes from production sharing and buyback contracts. For example, as the price of oil or gas increases above certain pre-determined levels, TOTAL’s share of production generally decreases.
(16) As at December 31, 2019, TOTAL held an interest of 46.74% in SunPower. As at December 31, 2018, TOTAL held an interest of 55.66% in SunPower, an American company listed on NASDAQ and based in California.