Oxy under pressure
Crumbling revenues heighten concerns over looming debt maturities and the firm’s ability to avoid becoming another high-profile casualty
The first half of the year has proven disastrous for many firms operating across the US shale patch. Punishing economic conditions have proven foolhardy previous strategies of prioritising production growth, often financed by ever-increasing debt, with domestic bankruptcies rapidly gathering pace. For US independent Occidental Petroleum, the volatile market conditions have drawn eyes to the company’s mammoth debt maturities amid fears for its long-term survival. Oxy faces a wall of over $40bn in debt payments starting next year—mainly due to last year’s controversial merger with fellow indie Anadarko. The firm posted a $10.6bn net loss across the first six months of 2020, further adding to i
Also in this section
9 January 2026
OPEC+ remains on track as output falls, with only Gabon failing to hit its output targets in December, although Kazakhstan’s compliance was involuntary
9 January 2026
The Latin American producer’s crude prospects rely on a multi-pronged approach where even the relatively easy wins will take considerable time, effort and cost
9 January 2026
While many forecasters are reasserting the importance of oil and gas, petrostates should be under no illusion things are changing, and faster than they might think
8 January 2026
Indonesia and Malaysia are at the dawn of breathtaking digital capabilities. Their energy infrastructure must keep up with their ambitions
