Sunday Express: Shell cuts back on forecourts to boost production
“managers hoped the new strategy would draw a line under the reserves-misreporting scandal which triggered the departure of three of Shell’s bosses earlier this year.”
By Robin Pagnamenta
22 August 04
SHELL is preparing to unveil a major long-term’ business strategy next month which insiders say will result in disposals and acquisitions.
The thrust of the Anglo-Dutch oil giant’s plan, to be revealed on September 22, will be to increase the company’s focus on long-term on exploration and production while reducing its retail presence, especially in mature markets.
Angus Mcphail, oil analyst at ING Financial Markets in Edinburgh, pointed out Shell had already begun taking steps in this direction. Last week, the group announced the sale of 900 petrol stations in Argentina. In recent months it has also disposed of hundreds of stations in Peru, Spain and Portugal. The cash raised will be used to fund oil and gas field acquisitions in Shell’s exploration and production division, the so-called “upstream” end of the business.
“If Shell wants to grow, it is much easier to do this on the upstream than at the retail end,” Mcphail said.
In recent years. Shell has been widely criticised for the poor performance of its exploration business, especially when compared with rivals such as BP.
The “reserves replacement ratio” is an indicator of how much oil and gas a firm is discovering compared with the amount it pumps out. In 2003, Shell’s ratio was 98 per cent against BP’s 175 per cent. Insiders said managers hoped the new strategy would draw a line under the reserves-misreporting scandal which triggered the departure of three of Shell’s bosses earlier this year.
This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
MORE DETAILS:
A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
