prolific U.S. Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, bringing our total acreage additions since late 2009 to 14 million acres. 

In our downstream business, we responded to challenging market conditions by restructuring to achieve sustained improvement in competitive performance. We concluded sales of nonstrategic assets and implemented a leaner, more focused and lower-cost downstream organization. We started up projects at our refinery in Pascagoula, Mississippi, our affiliate refinery in South Korea, and at a chemicals facility in Qatar. 

Chevron enters 2011 with a $26 billion capital and exploratory budget — a 19 percent increase over 2010 levels and a reflection of our financial strength and unparalleled growth opportunities. Our spending will focus largely on executing upstream crude oil and natural gas exploration and production projects worldwide. Downstream spending will focus on increasing refinery flexibility, product yields and energy efficiency. 

At Chevron, technology is directly linked to creating value for our stockholders. Some key focus areas including i-field program, which applies information technology to improve production from mature fields; enhanced heavy oil recovery through advanced steamflood and thermal management; and implementation of our next-generation reservoir simulation technology. 

Technological innovation underpins our renewable energy strategy. We are investing in research projects with industry and university partners to explore promising pathways for renewables that may have the potential to be developed profitably at commercial scale. Our energy efficiency business, Chevron Energy Solutions, continues to apply advanced solar and other energy-saving technologies to lower costs for institutional customers. We also are exploring growth opportunities to develop new geothermal prospects in Indonesia and the Philippines. 

In addition to operating capabilities, our success going forward is tied to the partnerships we build with our host communities. We focus our community partnerships and investments in three areas — health, education and economic development. We believe these areas are among the most promising avenues for creating mutual benefits for communities and our company. In 2010, we deployed approximately $180 million in community investments worldwide. Notable among our partnerships in 2010 was the launch of the Niger Delta Partnership Initiative, an innovative and multipartner approach to support sustained economic development and conflict resolution in the Niger Delta region. These types of social investments reflect our belief that our success as a business is tied directly to the economic vitality and health of the communities where we operate. 

In 2010, we enhanced our core business strategies with three enterprise strategies: People, Execution and Growth. We are focused on recruiting and developing the best people in the business, flawlessly executing our projects and developing opportunities that will create long-term growth for the company. Above all else, the men and women of Chevron will continue to be guided by our company’s values — getting results the right way — and our vision to be the