by committed credit facilities, to refinance them on a long-term basis.

     At year-end 2008, the company had $5 billion in committed credit facilities with various major banks, which permit the refinancing of short-term obligations on a long-term basis. These facilities support commercial-paper borrowing and also can be used for general corporate purposes. The company’s practice has been to continually replace expiring commitments with new commitments on substantially the same terms, maintaining levels management believes appropriate. Terms of new commitments in the future will be subject to market conditions at the time of renewal. Any borrowings under the facilities would be unsecured indebtedness at interest rates based on London Interbank Offered Rate or an average of base lending rates published by specified banks and on terms reflecting the company’s strong credit rating. No borrowings were outstanding under these facilities at December 31, 2008. In addition, the company has an automatic shelf registration statement that expires in March 2010 for an unspecified amount of nonconvertible debt securities issued or guaranteed by the company. In January 2009, the company’s Board of Directors authorized the issuance of one or more series of notes or debentures in an aggregate amount up to $5 billion for a term not to exceed ten years.

     At December 31, 2008, the company had outstanding public bonds issued by Chevron Corporation Profit Sharing/Savings Plan Trust Fund, Texaco Capital Inc. and Union Oil Company of California. All of these securities are guaranteed by Chevron Corporation and are rated AA by Standard and Poor’s Corporation and Aa1 by Moody’s Investors Service. The company’s U.S. commercial paper is rated A-1+ by Standard and Poor’s and P-1 by Moody’s. All of these ratings denote high-quality, investment-grade securities.

     The company’s future debt level is dependent primarily on results of operations, the capital-spending program and cash that may be generated from asset dispositions. During periods of low prices for crude oil and natural gas and narrow margins for refined products and commodity chemicals, the company has the flexibility to increase borrowings and/or modify capital-spending plans to continue paying the common stock dividend and maintain the company’s high-quality debt ratings.

     Common stock repurchase program In September 2007, the company authorized the acquisition of up to $15 billion of additional common shares from time to time at prevailing prices, as permitted by securities laws and other legal requirements and subject to market conditions and other factors. The program is for a period of up to three years and may be discontinued at any time. Through December 31, 2008, 119 million shares had been acquired under the program for $10.1 billion, including $8.0 billion in 2008. These amounts include shares acquired in October 2008 as part of an asset-exchange transaction described in Note 2 beginning on page FS-34. The company did not acquire any shares in early 2009 and does not plan to acquire any shares in the 2009 first quarter.

     Capital and exploratory expenditures Total reported