Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) today announced a 2018 capital and exploratory spending program of $18.3 billion. This figure includes $5.5 billion for the company’s share of expenditures by affiliated companies.

“Our 2018 budget is down for the fourth consecutive year, reflecting project completions, improved efficiencies, and investment high-grading,” said Chairman and CEO John Watson. “We’re fully funding our advantaged Permian Basin position and dedicating approximately three-quarters of our spend to projects that are expected to realize cash flow within two years.”

Watson continued, “With production currently exceeding guidance in the Permian, our 2018 plan should deliver both strong production growth and solid free cash flow, at prices comparable to what we’ve seen this year.”

In the upstream business, approximately $8.7 billion is forecasted to sustain currently producing assets, including $3.3 billion for the Permian and $1.0 billion for other shale and tight rock investments. Approximately $5.5 billion of the upstream program is planned for major capital projects underway, including $3.7 billion associated with the Future Growth Project at the Tengiz field in Kazakhstan. Global exploration funding is expected to be about $1.1 billion. Remaining upstream spend will be for early stage projects supporting potential future developments.

Approximately $2.2 billion of planned capital spending is associated with the company’s downstream businesses that refine, market and transport fuels, and manufacture and distribute lubricants, additives and petrochemicals.

Chevron Corporation is one of the world’s leading integrated energy companies. Through its subsidiaries that conduct business worldwide, the company is involved in virtually every facet of the energy industry. Chevron explores for, produces and transports crude oil and natural gas; refines, markets and distributes transportation fuels and lubricants; manufactures and sells petrochemicals and additives; generates power; and develops and deploys technologies that enhance business value in every aspect of the company’s operations. Chevron is based in San Ramon, Calif. More information about Chevron is available at www.chevron.com.

As used in this press release, the term “Chevron” and such terms as “the company,” “the corporation,” “our,” “we” and “us” may refer to Chevron Corporation, one or more of its consolidated subsidiaries, or to all of them taken as a whole. All of these terms are used for convenience only and are not intended as a precise description of any of the separate companies, each of which manages its own affairs.

As used in this press release, the term “free cash flow” represents “Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities” less “Capital expenditures” and “Cash dividends – common stock” as disclosed in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows.