Financial Times: BP seeks to refine its performance
By Ed Crooks
Published: April 28 2008 03:00 | Last updated: April 28 2008 03:00
BP and Royal Dutch Shell , unusually, report first quarter results on the same day on Tuesday, the clash forced by the coincidence of the Dutch holidays of Queen’s Day on April 30 and Ascension day on May 1, writes Ed Crooks . This time round the comparison is likely to flatter BP, which had produced weak results for 2007 – in part because of the problems of its US refineries.
In the first quarter, refining margins were under pressure, so Shell’s downstream strength was less of an advantage, while all oil companies’ production businesses benefited from the soaring commodity price.
BP is reporting its first set of results in its new divisional structure, part of the organisational simplification begun by Tony Hayward after he took over as chief executive last May. BP’s operations seem to be making progress, with new projects starting up and the US refineries gradually being returned to full capacity. But its shares still lag well behind Shell’s on a one-year view.
Mr Hayward told the company’s annual general meeting earlier in the month that the start-up of Thunder Horse, the flagship platform in the Gulf of Mexico, would be a “powerful symbol” of BP’s improving performance.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2008
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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: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
