New York, Oct 23 : Chevron announced Monday that it has agreed to buy rival Hess in yet another oil industry consolidation deal, media reported. Cash-rich oil giants are taking advantage of high prices and surging profits to snap up assets and boost returns for shareholders even as pressure builds for them to invest more in renewable energy. The deal, worth $53 billion plus debt, would give Chevron even greater access to US shale production in Texas' Permian Basin, a part of the industry where Chevron has been a leader for years. Hess also has large oil assets in Guyana, which Chevron said would help grow its production over the next decade, CNN reported. 'This combination positions Chevron to strengthen our long-term performance and further enhance our advantaged portfolio by adding world-class assets,' said Chevron Chairman and CEO Mike Wirth. Wirth said Chevron and Hess will be able to merge seamlessly, sharing 'similar values and cultures,' including a commitment to 'lowering carbon,' although environmental advocates have been very critical of oil companies' slow acceptance of renewable energy alternatives. Chevron said buying Hess would increase the company's free cash flow, giving the company more cash on hand in the long term to do more share repurchases. Chevron said that it would increase buybacks of its stock by $2.5 billion to $20 billion a year, CNN reported. Critics have slammed oil companies for spendingtens of billions of dollars on stock buybacksrather than easing the pain for consumers at the pump or investing more heavily in the energy transition. Already cash rich, oil companies have scored record profits after Russia's invasion of Ukraine pinched oil supplies and sent prices higher. ExxonMobil last yearmade a record $1874 for every secondduring the course of 2022. Those profits have made oil companies deal-happy. Two weeks ago, Exxon announced it wouldbuy shale company Pioneerfor $60 billion, a deal that would more than double Exxon's Permian Basin operations if it is completed, CNN reported. /IANS