Civitas Resources, Inc. (NYSE:CIVI) Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

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Our 2024 taxes, to your point, are going to be lower than otherwise given the Vencer transaction closing and then, so that they should be in kind of the sub-$100 million range for 2024. And then 2025, like I said, it depends on what oil prices you assume. If you assume $70 flat, we’ll never hit that AMT position. If we do stay at $80, we will and that the cash taxes at that point should be in the $300 million range.

Operator: [Operator Instructions] Our next question comes from the line of Nicholas Pope from Seaport Research.

Nicholas Pope: I was hoping you could talk a little bit about the balance between the 2 sides of kind of this new Permian position you have. As you look at Delaware versus Midland, comparing kind of the returns that you’re seeing on both sides and kind of what the expectation is of activity split between those 2 assets as you’re kind of incorporating these 3 acquisitions?

Chris Doyle: Sure. Thanks for the question. So the way we rolled out initial signposts for 2024 was assuming a couple of rigs in the Delaware and a couple of rigs in the Midland Basin. Now you add Vencer, that would be 4 and 2 split between Midland and the Delaware. I think we’ll be fairly close to that. Rig can move here or there, but we’ve got a scale position on both sides with opportunities to deploy capital at high returns, both sides of the Permian. So we’re excited about that. I think getting back to Neal’s initial question around project size is where it gets really interesting as we sit back and further optimize the 2024 plan because of project size, that could direct more capital to 1 side or the other. But our initial look is just on overall size have probably 1/3 of it go to Delaware, 2/3 on the Midland. But that’s TBD, and we’re excited to be able to share our final guidance in February of next year.

Nicholas Pope: Appreciate that. And as you look at the commodity mix between these 2 areas, are you all comfortable with where things stand and being able to get out the gas, get — process the NGL. How do you think — where do you think things stand, I guess, right now on being able to move all the products that you have in those 2 areas?

Chris Doyle: Yes. I think we feel very confident with our plans on both sides of the Permian. Certainly, in the Delaware takeaway is always a consideration. So you’re not going to plow half of your capital program on that side, you have to be mindful of getting product out and getting it to market. And so that will certainly have — be a lever in how we look to deploy capital, but we feel confident with the contracts that we have in place and the access to market on both sides. But that’s certainly, to your point, that’s part of the calculus that will go into the 2024 capital plan.

Operator: There are no further questions at this time. Chris Doyle, I’ll turn the call back over to you.

Chris Doyle: Thank you, operator, and thank you for your continued interest in Civitas. We look forward to sharing our continued progress on upcoming calls. Have a great rest of your day, and please be safe.

Operator: Thank you. This concludes today’s conference call. Thank you for participating. You may now disconnect.

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