Petrozuata News

ConocoPhillips and the Venezuelan government were unable to reach agreement regarding ConocoPhillips’ migration to an Empresa Mixta structure mandated by Venezuela decree law 5.200. Therefore, pursuant to the decree, Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) or its affiliates will directly assume the activities associated with ConocoPhillips’ interests in the Petrozuata and Hamaca heavy-oil ventures and the offshore Corocoro development project. While negotiations are continuing between ConocoPhillips and Venezuelan authorities concerning appropriate compensation for the company’s interests, the company expects to record a complete impairment of its entire interest in its oil projects in Venezuela of approximately $4.5 billion…

Conoco said higher crude oil and natural gas prices, as well as continued growth in oil and natural gas production volumes, will result in earnings appreciably higher than current analysts' estimates for the third quarter. Conoco Chairman, President and CEO Archie W. Dunham said earnings would be in a range of about four to seven cents higher than First Call's current consensus estimate of 33 cents of underlying earnings per share for the third quarter. "We're on target to produce production growth of about 10 percent in 1999, in line with earlier estimates," he said. Conoco Executive Vice-President for worldwide upstream Rob McKee said the added production was primarily due to increased volumes from the giant U.K.