據原油新聞2020年4月1日休斯頓報道，美國巴肯石油和天然氣生產商懷廷石油公司4月1日表示，由于近期油價暴跌，懷廷石油公司已申請破產保護，從而成為美國第一家申請破產保護的大型頁巖生產商。

根據周三發布的新聞稿，重組計劃旨在將懷廷石油公司的資本結構減債超過22億美元。

懷廷石油公司“將繼續正常運營其業務，不會對其供應商、合作伙伴或員工造成實質性影響”。

懷廷石油公司在新聞稿中表示，該公司目前預計將有足夠的流動資金，可以滿足其在重組期間的財務義務，而不需要額外的融資。

由于疫情影響導致需求大幅下降，而沙特和俄羅斯為爭奪市場份額而發動的油價戰使市場上的原油供應進一步增加，全球油價自1月下旬以來已大幅下跌。

盡管基準期貨價格已跌至20美元/桶的低位，但美國頁巖油現貨價格的跌幅甚至更大，這是因為煉油商已削減開工率，而庫存已滿額。

懷俄明州根西島的巴肯原油價格僅為13.27美元/桶，比俄克拉荷馬州庫欣的西德克薩斯中質原油價格低12.50美元/桶。

由于油價暴跌，美國數十家上游企業已經削減了今年的資本支出指導，包括懷廷石油公司。

李峻 編譯自 原油新聞

原文如下:

Whiting the first big US producer to file for bankruptcy due to recent price collapse

Bakken oil and gas producer Whiting Petroleum filed for bankruptcy, the company said Wednesday, the first big shale producer to file for Chapter 11 protection due to the recent price collapse.

The reorganization plan is intended to deleverage Whiting's capital structure by over $2.2 billion, according to a Wednesday news release.

Whiting "will continue to operate its business in the normal course without material disruption to its vendors, partners or employees," the company said in its release. "Whiting currently expects to have sufficient liquidity to meet its financial obligations during the restructuring without the need for additional financing."

Global oil prices have tumbled since late January, as the spread of the coronavirus has drastically reduced demand, while a war for market share launched by Saudi Arabia and Russia has put even more crude on the market.

While benchmark futures prices have fallen into the low $20s/b, spot US shale crude prices have fallen even lower, as refiners have cut runs, while storage has begun to fill.

Bakken crude priced at Guernsey, Wyoming was assessed at just $13.27/b Tuesday, for instance, a $12.50/b discount to WTI at Cushing, Oklahoma.

Dozens of upstream companies have already slashed capital spending guidance for 2020 because of low oil prices, including Whiting.