Oxy evaluates energy use via an index that employs revenue and production as normalizing factors. The index illustrates a 38-percent improvement since 2003.
Oxy’s oil and gas operations reported a less-than-1-percent increase in energy consumption per barrel produced since 2005. This performance is especially significant since the energy demand per barrel of oil produced generally increases over time, as more intensive production procedures — such as waterflooding and carbon dioxide (CO2) — enhanced oil recovery (EOR) — are used to recover oil and gas from existing fields.
Oxy’s efforts to enhance energy efficiency include: operating several highly efficient cogeneration facilities to supply power and steam for Oxy’s oil and gas and chemical operations; implementing improved maintenance and operating practices; installing energy-efficient equipment; electrifying well field operations that formerly utilized gas or diesel engines; using solar-powered lighting in remote areas; pursuing opportunities to capture and sell natural gas that would otherwise be flared or vented; and certifying OxyChem’s 24-story Dallas headquarters building under the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Program.