Saudi Arabia’s state-controlled oil large Aramco on Sunday reported a file internet revenue of $161.1 billion for 2022 — the biggest annual revenue ever achieved by an oil and gasoline firm.

Aramco mentioned internet revenue elevated 46.5 % over the yr, from $110 billion in 2021. Free money circulation additionally reached a file $148.5 billion in 2022, in contrast with $107.5 billion in 2021. 

The outcomes are practically triple the revenue that western oil main ExxonMobil posted for 2022, bolstered by hovering oil and gasoline costs by means of final yr, together with greater sale volumes and improved margins for refined merchandise. 

“Aramco delivered file monetary efficiency in 2022, as oil costs strengthened as a result of elevated demand around the globe,” Aramco CEO Amin Nasser mentioned in a press assertion. 

Oil and gasoline costs surged firstly of final yr, with western sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine steadily tightening entry to Moscow’s provides, significantly seaborne crude and oil merchandise.

Oil costs have since pulled again greater than 25% year-on-year, with scorching inflation and rising rates of interest overshadowing a extra bullish demand outlook from China. Brent and WTI costs fell 6% final week alone. Brent final traded at round $80 {dollars} per barrel. 

Aramco raised its fourth-quarter dividend by 4% to $19.5 billion, to be paid within the first quarter of 2023. Aramco additionally mentioned it might difficulty bonus shares to eligible shareholders in consequence. 

Nasser additionally used the outcomes launch to repeat his warning about “persistent underinvestment” within the hydrocarbons sector. 

“On condition that we anticipate oil and gasoline will stay important for the foreseeable future, the dangers of underinvestment in our trade are actual, together with contributing to greater vitality costs,” Nasser mentioned on Sunday, echoing feedback made throughout a latest interview with CNBC. 

At each a ministerial and Aramco stage, Saudi Arabia has been a proponent of avoiding short-term gasoline shortages by means of the twin funding of fossil gasoline provides and the inexperienced transition. CEO Amin Nasser on March 3 advised CNBC {that a} “persistent underinvestment in oil upstream and even downstream continues to be there,” signaling potential development demand from the aviation sector and the reopening of China.

Aramco mentioned common hydrocarbon manufacturing final yr was 13.6 million barrels of oil equal per day, together with 11.5 million barrels per day of complete liquids. Saudi Arabia most not too long ago produced 10.39 million barrels per day of crude oil in January, the Worldwide Vitality Company discovered within the February difficulty of its Oil Market Report.

As chair of the influential OPEC+ producers’ alliance, Saudi Arabia has been main by instance the group’s efforts to collectively cut back their output targets by 2 million barrels per day, agreed in October and reaffirmed at technical and ministerial conferences since. The group’s transfer in direction of limiting provide availabilities has put OPEC+ at odds with some worldwide customers, sparking a confrontation with Washington in direction of the top of the final yr, as U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration careworn the necessity to easing the burden on households.

The corporate reaffirmed it might proceed to speculate to extend its most manufacturing capability to 13 million barrels a day by 2027.

Capital expenditure rose by 18% to $37.6 billion final yr, and is anticipated to extend to $45 billion to $55 billion within the coming years, anticipating will increase “till across the center of the last decade.”

“Our focus just isn’t solely on increasing oil, gasoline and chemical substances manufacturing, but additionally investing in new lower-carbon applied sciences with potential to realize extra emission reductions in our personal operations and for finish customers of our merchandise,” Nasser mentioned.