per common share, making 2011 the 24th consecutive year that the company increased its annual dividend payment.

     Common Stock Repurchase Program The company purchased $4.25 billion of its common stock in 2011 under its share repurchase program. The program began in 2010 and has no set term or monetary limits.

Results of Operations

Major Operating Areas The following section presents the results of operations for the company’s business segments – Upstream and Downstream – as well as for “All Other.” Earnings are also presented for the U.S. and international geographic areas of the Upstream and Downstream business segments. (Refer to Note 11, beginning on page FS-37, for a discussion of the company’s “reportable segments,” as defined in accounting standards for segment reporting (Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 280). This section should also be read in conjunction with the discussion in “Business Environment and Outlook” on pages FS-2 through FS-5.

     U.S. upstream earnings of $6.51 billion in 2011 increased $2.4 billion from 2010. The benefit of higher crude oil realizations increased earnings by $2.8 billion between periods. Partly offsetting this effect were lower net oil-equivalent production which decreased earnings by about $400 million and higher operating expenses of $200 million.

     U.S. upstream earnings of $4.1 billion in 2010 increased $1.9 billion from 2009. Higher prices for crude oil and natural gas increased earnings by $2.1 billion between periods. Partly offsetting these effects were higher operating expenses of $200 million, in part due to the Gulf of Mexico drilling moratorium. Lower exploration expenses were essentially offset by higher tax items and higher depreciation expenses.

     The company’s average realization for U.S. crude oil and natural gas liquids in 2011 was $97.51 per barrel, compared with $71.59 in 2010 and $54.36 in 2009. The average natural gas realization was $4.04 per thousand cubic feet in 2011, compared with $4.26 and $3.73 in 2010 and 2009, respectively.

     Net oil-equivalent production in 2011 averaged 678,000 barrels per day, down 4 percent from 2010 and 5 percent from 2009. Between 2011 and 2010, the decrease in production was associated with normal field declines and maintenance-related downtime. Partially offsetting this decrease were new production from acquisitions in the Marcellus Shale and increases at the Perdido project in the Gulf of Mexico. Natural field declines between 2010 and 2009 were mostly offset by increased production from the Tahiti Field. The net liquids component of oil-equivalent production for 2011 averaged 465,000 barrels per day, down 5 percent from 2010 and 4 percent from 2009. Net natural gas production averaged about 1.3 billion cubic feet per day in 2011, down approximately 3 percent from 2010 and about 9 percent from 2009. Refer to the “Selected Operating Data” table on page FS-10 for a three-year comparative of production volumes in the United States.

International Upstream

     International upstream earnings of $18.3 billion in 2011 increased $4.7 billion from 2010. Higher prices for crude oil increased earnings by $7.1 billion. This