Saudi oil giant Aramco announces USD 121 billion profit last year, down from 2022 record

Saudi oil giant Aramco on Sunday reported it made USD 121 billion in profit last year, down from its 2022 record due to lower energy prices. Aramco made the announcement in a filing in Riyadh's Tadawul stock market. It had reported a USD 161 billion profit in 2022, likely the largest ever reported by a publicly traded company.

“The decrease mainly reflects the impact of lower crude oil prices and lower volumes sold, and weakening refining and chemicals margins,” the company said in its filing. The energy giant had planned a conference call Monday to discuss its results. Aramco reported overall revenue of USD 440 billion last year, down from USD 535 billion in 2022.

“Our resilience and agility contributed to healthy cash flows and high levels of profitability, despite a backdrop of economic headwinds,” said Aramco CEO Amin H. Nasser in a statement.

Aramco, formally known as the Saudi Arabian Oil Co., put its output at 12.8 million barrels of oil a day. The company has been ordered by the Saudi government to keep its production there despite earlier plans to increase output.

Saudi Arabia, a leader in the OPEC cartel, has allied with Russia and others outside of the group to try to keep production down to boost global oil prices. Benchmark Brent crude traded under USD 82 a barrel on Sunday.

Saudi Arabia's vast oil resources, located close to the surface of its desert expanse, make it one of the world's least expensive places to produce crude. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hopes to use the oil wealth to pivot the kingdom off oil sales, such as with his planned USD 500 billion futuristic desert city, called Neom, and other projects.

Meanwhile, activists criticised the profits amid global concerns about the burning of fossil fuels accelerating climate change.