Unocal Plans to Spend $1.7 Billion on Projects

Oil and natural gas explorer Unocal Corp. plans to spend about $1.7 billion on exploration and development projects this year, unchanged from last year.

El Segundo-based Unocal will spend $1.1 billion developing existing fields, the company said in a statement. North American spending will be $800 million.

The company will spend another $800 million on international projects, including development of oil and gas resources in the Gulf of Thailand and in Indonesia’s Makassar Strait. About $100 million will be spent on exploration off the coasts of Indonesia and Brazil.

Shares of Unocal rose 26 cents to $35.55 on the New York Stock Exchange. They are little changed for the past year.