Analysts Eye Big Oil's Spending and Acquisition Plans

Core Insights - Big Oil is reporting third-quarter results, with no major surprises expected due to a year filled with tariffs, sanctions, and predictions of a supply glut [1] - Analysts are focusing on future plans for spending, production, and acquisitions, particularly looking ahead to 2026 [3] Company Performance - Equinor reported lower-than-expected results due to lower prices, despite increased oil and gas production [2] - Eni experienced better revenues and profits driven by higher production, even with lower prices [2] - Shell and TotalEnergies reported strong performance attributed to higher oil and gas production [2] Future Plans and Strategies - Analysts are interested in Chevron's merger with Hess Corp., Exxon's acquisition targets, and European Big Oil's strategies for share buybacks and dividends in a lower-price environment [3] - Natural gas is being prioritized by major companies, with Shell emphasizing its LNG business as a top priority for the next decade [5] - BP is focusing on gas and LNG, contracting Baker Hughes for a new LNG plant in Indonesia and winning an arbitration case regarding LNG cargos [6] - TotalEnergies lifted the force majeure on its Mozambique LNG project, with a revised cost of $4.5 billion and a capacity of 43 million tons of liquefied gas [6] - Exxon plans to announce the final investment decision on its LNG project in Mozambique by the end of Q1 2026, with another project, Golden Pass, expected to start operations by the end of this year [7]