of crude oil. The price of crude oil has fallen significantly since mid-year 2014, reflecting persistently high global crude oil inventories and production. The downturn in the price of crude oil has impacted, and, depending upon its duration, will continue to significantly impact the company's results of operations, cash flows, leverage, capital and exploratory investment program and production outlook. The company is responding with reductions in operating expenses, including employee reductions, reductions in capital and exploratory expenditures in 2016 and future periods, and increased asset sales. The company anticipates that crude oil prices will increase in the future, as continued growth in demand and a slowing in supply growth should bring global markets into balance; however, the timing of any such increase is unknown. In the company's downstream business, crude oil is the largest cost component of refined products.

Refer to the "Cautionary Statement Relevant to Forward-Looking Information" on page 2 and to "Risk Factors" in Part I, Item 1A, on pages 21 through 23 for a discussion of some of the inherent risks that could materially impact the company's results of operations or financial condition.

The company continually evaluates opportunities to dispose of assets that are not expected to provide sufficient long-term value or to acquire assets or operations complementary to its asset base to help augment the company’s financial performance and growth. Refer to the “Results of Operations” section beginning on page FS-6 for discussions of net gains on asset sales during 2015. Asset dispositions and restructurings may also occur in future periods and could result in significant gains or losses.

The company closely monitors developments in the financial and credit markets, the level of worldwide economic activity, and the implications for the company of movements in prices for crude oil and natural gas. Management takes these developments into account in the conduct of daily operations and for business planning.

Comments related to earnings trends for the company’s major business areas are as follows:

Upstream Earnings for the upstream segment are closely aligned with industry prices for crude oil and natural gas. Crude oil and natural gas prices are subject to external factors over which the company has no control, including product demand connected with global economic conditions, industry inventory levels, technology advancements, production quotas or other actions imposed by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), actions of regulators, weather-related damage and disruptions, competing fuel prices, and regional supply interruptions or fears thereof that may be caused by military conflicts, civil unrest or political uncertainty. Any of these factors could also inhibit the company’s production capacity in an affected region. The company closely monitors developments in the countries in which it operates and holds investments, and seeks to manage risks in operating its facilities and businesses. The longer-term trend in earnings for the upstream segment is also a function of other factors, including the