Husky Energy trims capital spending by $400M

Husky Energy is the latest company in the Canadian oilpatch to report it is trimming 2015 spending in the face of lower oil prices.

Huskey now says its reducing this year's capital budget by as much as $400 million to $3 billion to $3.1 billion. The previoius2015 plan called for $3.4 billion in spending.

It did not say whether it would cut its workforce.

Husky expects production to begin this year or next on the Sunrise oilsands project in Alberta in Alberta, but has deferred a decision on expanding the White Rose offshore operation off Newfoundland's coast. Production for the year is anticipated to remain at about 325,000 to 355,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day

It reported a $603-million loss in the fourth quarter, mostly because of asset writedowns and inventory reductions. Excluding writedowns, Husky's net earnings for the quarter was $147 million.

CEO Asim Ghoshsaid he is positioning the company for beyond thedownturn in oil prices.

"By the end of 2016, about half of our total production will be from low sustaining capital projects," he said.

Crude oil has dropped to about $50 US a barrel in the first quarter of 2015 from a peak of $107 US a barrel last year.

Companies across Canada and the U.S. have been announcing cuts to their capital spending and workforces, but the glut of oil that caused the price drop continues. hu