For long-term Oxy assets, crude spills declined in 2008 to the second-lowest level since 2000. New or recently acquired assets typically experience more spills than long-term Oxy assets. In 2008, new or recently acquired assets, including the international operations of Vintage Petroleum, accounted for more than 89 percent of the volume of crude oil released.
Preventing releases of crude oil is an important priority. Oxy is taking aggressive measures at new and recently acquired assets to reduce such releases. We invest in technology to detect and prevent pipeline corrosion, make extensive use of secondary containment, train operators on release prevention and response, and frequently audit and inspect operations. In 2008, Oxy continued to devote significant capital and operating expenditures to spill prevention, detection and control efforts. These measures have enhanced the HES performance of recently acquired assets, and we expect further improvement.