TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE) Q4 2022 Earnings Call Transcript

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And if it’s true that we have this type of size of resources, obviously, there will be a lot of room to develop. Honestly, unitization, we will not need it. We speak about billions. We can make a first project on our side. We are making complex stories. Having said that, I can tell you on this project specifically there is a very good cooperation between to Shell and TotalEnergies teams. We had to share the data as we have an agreement. So we will discuss together. But the idea, it’s really big, is not to be a super optimization to appraise all the discoveries — or there is a number idea. Like we’ve done in Angola, let’s see if there is a first development. Then we’ll have time to optimize. I’ll also remind you that there is the same partner on both sides of the license, which is QatarEnergy.

We are happy to do it. So let’s see. It’s premature to speak of the size. What I hope is that when we have drilled all this program, which has been organized in order to have 3 wells and free test, in fact, with 2 rigs, then we’ll have a better clarity. And we can speak to you about resources. Today, it’s premature. Let’s do the job, and we’ll come back to you. But I can tell you that as a CEO of the company, we are quite excited like we were when I entered the company. I was lucky. I was assigned in Angola on the Block 17. So I hope we’ll have the same in our hand for the next 25 years.

Operator: The next question is from Christyan Malek of JPMorgan.

Christyan Malek: It’s Christyan Malek from JPMorgan. Two questions, Patrick. First, I know that we’ve shared a fairly similar view on a sort of super cycle prospects in oil over the coming years and your position for that in the context of your portfolio. So can you walk us through where you see your growth prospects on a 3- to 5-year view? I mean, coming back when you had the best-in-class growth rate for oil, up at sort of 5% to 6%, do you envisage a situation where you could lean into that growth and sanction projects? I know you’re moving to short cycle as one of the basis of your increasing CapEx. But if you can provide us with what would be the upside risk on your volume growth if you were to choose to sanction more projects and take a longer-term view around investing in FIDs, a term that I think has become quite rare in this industry.

And the second question linked to that and linked to your Canada IPO, do you think this is a template going forward if the market is not going to recognize the value associated with oil, whether it’s because of ESG, because of net zero? Could this be a rollout of other projects or other regions going forward where, ultimately, your IPO, your oil business, in a way that it generates better value for shareholders?

Patrick Pouyanne: I can tell you just so we — if we can sanction projects, we’ll do it. And we have in ’23, 3 big projects to sanction in the company, oil projects. We have the Block 20, 21 in Angola; Cameia, Golfinho. We have the offers, and we are working on it very hard in order to manage the cost of the projects. That’s a key issue, but we’ll do it. We have in Brazil, because of the acquisition we’ve done, we have 2 projects to sanction. One is Atapu 2. The other one is Sepia 2. So this will feed the growth, and we are looking to opportunities to grow our portfolio with always the same motto. It has to be resilient through the cycle of less than $20 per barrel or $30 of cost — technical cost of $30 breakeven and less than 19 kilograms per barrel of emissions.

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