News: BHP BHP Group Says Qtrly Iron Ore WAIO (100% Basis) Production Of 73.9 MT, Up 5%

Jan 19 (Reuters) - BHP Group Ltd (BHP) :

• QTRLY METALLURGICAL COAL PRODUCTION 8.8 MT VERSUS 9.5 MT REPORTED A YEAR AGO
• QTRLY IRON ORE WAIO (100% BASIS) PRODUCTION 73.9 MT VERSUS 70.4 MT REPORTED A YEAR AGO
• QTRLY NICKEL PRODUCTION 21.5KT VERSUS 24.0 KT REPORTED A YEAR AGO
• SEES FY22 METALLURGICAL COAL PRODUCTION OF 38 – 41 MT
• PRODUCTION GUIDANCE FOR 2022 FINANCIAL YEAR REMAINS UNCHANGED FOR IRON ORE, ENERGY COAL AND NICKEL
• QTRLY ENERGY COAL NSWEC PRODUCTION 3.0 MT
• QTRLY PETROLEUM PRODUCTION 25.7 MMBOE VERSUS 23.8 MMBOE REPORTED A YEAR AGO
• FULL YEAR TOTAL COPPER PRODUCTION IS TRENDING TOWARDS LOW END OF GUIDANCE RANGE, REFLECTING LOWER PRODUCTION GUIDANCE FOR PAMPA NORTE
• QTRLY ENERGY COAL CERREJÓN PRODUCTION 2.2 MT
• COMPLETION OF PROPOSED MERGER OF OUR PETROLEUM BUSINESS WITH WOODSIDE IS EXPECTED IN JUNE 2022 QUARTER
• FY METALLURGICAL COAL GUIDANCE HAS BEEN REDUCED AS A RESULT OF SIGNIFICANT WET WEATHER IMPACTS AND COVID-19 RELATED LABOUR CONSTRAINTS
• FULL YEAR UNIT COST GUIDANCE FOR WAIO, ESCONDIDA AND NSWEC REMAINS UNCHANGED
• FY UNIT COST GUIDANCE FOR QUEENSLAND COAL HAS BEEN INCREASED, REFLECTING LOWER EXPECTED VOLUMES FOR FULL YEAR
• HY FINANCIAL RESULTS ARE BEING PREPARED ON BASIS THAT PETROLEUM BUSINESS IS A DISCONTINUED OPERATION
• EXPECTS ITS DECEMBER 2021 HALF YEAR FINANCIAL RESULTS TO REFLECT CERTAIN ITEMS
• SPENCE GROWTH PROJECT REALISING LOWER THAN EXPECTED RECOVERIES, STUDYING PLANT DESIGN MODIFICATIONS IN ORDER TO LIFT RECOVERIES TO PLANNED LEVELS
• AT WAIO IRON ORE, FACED IMPACTS OF TEMPORARY LABOUR CONSTRAINTS FROM BORDER RESTRICTIONS
• AT 31 DEC 2021, GROUP HAD 333 KT OF OUTSTANDING COPPER SALES THAT WERE REVALUED AT A WEIGHTED AVERAGE PRICE OF US$4.42 PER POUND
• WORKFORCE ABSENTEEISM ARISING FROM COVID-19 OMICRON VARIANT ANTICIPATED TO CONTINUE INTO EARLY PART OF H2 2022
• COVID-19 RELATED ABSENTEEISM REMAINS A RISK FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR
• PROPOSED EASING OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA'S BORDER RESTRICTIONS ON 5 FEB MAY INTRODUCE SHORT-TERM DISRUPTION TO OPERATING ENVIRONMENT
• POST RECENT EASING OF QUEENSLAND'S BORDER RESTRICTIONS, COVID-19 RELATED ABSENTEEISM HAS INCREASED & REMAINS A RISK FOR REMAINDER OF YEAR
• ABOUT US$540 MILLION PETROLEUM EXPLORATION AND APPRAISAL PROGRAM IS BEING EXECUTED FOR 2022 FY