Royal Dutch Shell Group .com Rotating Header Image

May 4th, 2017:

US crude plunges 4.8% to $45.52, posting worst close in more than five months

4 MAY 2017

Oil prices collapsed on Thursday to their lowest since late November as investor worries about the world’s stubbornly persistent glut of crude erased most of the gains that followed last year’s OPEC’s output cut.

The slide worsened after OPEC delegates downplayed the chance that their group and other producing countries would deepen their output cuts when they meet on May 25. They did say current output cuts were likely to be extended.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures ended trading down $2.30, or 4.8 percent, at $45.52 a barrel. Brent crude oil futures were down $2.53, or 5 percent, at $48.26 a barrel by 2:53 p.m. (1853 GMT). read more

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.

Why I’d Keep Selling Royal Dutch Shell Despite Q1 Profits Bounce

Royston Wild , CONTRIBUTOR: 4 May 2017

Royal Dutch Shell moved away from multi-month lows in Thursday business after announcing a sharp earnings bounceback during the first quarter of the year. The stock was last 1% higher from the midweek close.

Shell — which moved to its cheapest since late November in recent sessions — reported that earnings on a constant cost of supplies (or CCS) basis leapt 315% during January-March, to $3.4bn thanks to a steady recovery in the oil price.

In particular, Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden noted that ‘we saw notable improvements in Upstream and Chemicals, which benefited from improved operational performance and better market conditions.’ read more

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.

Divestment, retooling strategy has paid off, Shell says

Divestment, retooling strategy has paid off, Shell says

By Daniel J. Graeber: May 4, 2017

May 4 (UPI) — A divestment and retooling strategy has paid off considerably with first quarter profits more than doubling on improved oil prices, Royal Dutch Shell said.

Shell joins industry peers like British supermajor BP in declaring a first quarter success. Crude oil prices and market conditions have improved since first quarter 2016, and Shell CEO Ben van Buerden said the debt load was cut in part by a free cash flow of $5.2 billion.

Shell in March announced plans to sell off its entire onshore interests in Gabon to Assala Energy Holdings, part of The Carlyle Group, for $587 million. In the fourth quarter alone, the company unloaded more than $1 billion in assets, in large part from North America. In January, it sold off its interests in a package of assets in the British waters of the North Sea for $3.8 billion. read more

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.

Strong oil earnings fail to ease fears over crude slide

by: and in London

Royal Dutch Shell on Thursday rounded off the strongest set of quarterly results from “big oil” for over two years, even as a fresh slide in crude prices raised doubts over the sustainability of recovery from one of the deepest downturns in industry history. Brent crude fell below $50 per barrel on Thursday to its lowest level since November as confidence in Opec’s ability to overpower a resurgent US shale industry and ease a global oil surplus faded. read more

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.

Shell’s Big Oil Squeeze

May 4, 2017

Royal Dutch Shell Plc is defying skeptics and showing that it can afford its dividend. Investors just need to believe it hasn’t made too many compromises to do so.

The Anglo-Dutch oil giant generated $9.5 billion of operating cash flow in the first quarter, ample to fund $4.3 billion of investment, $2.7 billion of cash dividend payments and an $850 million interest bill. It even managed to cut debt without the benefit of big asset sales.

This is the third consecutive quarter where Shell has shown it can live within its means. The accounting result was impressive too: $3.5 billion of net income, up from $1.5 billion in the fourth quarter. That’s well ahead of expectations, and without the distortion of lots of one-offs. read more

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.

Shell Pumps a Torrent of Cash as Takeover, Cost Cuts Pay Off

by Rakteem Katakey
4 May 2017, 07:14 BST
4 May 2017, 08:01 BST

Royal Dutch Shell Plc showed it has adapted to a world of lower oil prices, generating a surge in cash flow that allowed it to pay dividends while reducing debt.

The Anglo-Dutch company’s performance helps validate Chief Executive Officer Ben Van Beurden’s $54 billion purchase of BG Group Plc — for which some shareholders complained he overpaid — and the deep spending cuts and asset sales he undertook to protect the balance sheet. read more

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.

Nigeria: Despite Malabu Scandal, Shell, Eni Will Continue to Operate OPL 245 – Govt

3 MAY 2017

The Federal Government says the Zabazaba deepwater project in Oil Prospecting Lease (OPL) 245 will continue in spite of controversies surrounding the oil block.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, said this in Houston Texas, U. S. while addressing journalists on the sidelines of the annual Offshore Technology Conference.

According to him, the project, which is to be carried out by the trio of the Federal Government, Shell and the Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited (NAE), will go on as scheduled and the protracted dispute on the block with Malabu oil will not affect it. read more

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 sees profits jump as oil price rises

4 May 2017

The Anglo-Dutch giant said profits on a current cost of supply measure – which strips out price fluctuations – jumped to $3.4bn (£2.6bn) from $1bn last year.

A 55% rise in oil prices in the first quarter of 2017 compared with a year earlier was the main driver of profits.

Shell joins rivals BP, Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Total in reporting better-than-expected results.

More than $1bn in cost savings and budget cuts made over the past three years from cost-cuts and assets sales have also helped to increase cash flow and boost profits. read more

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.

Q&A: Shell cuts costs on major deep-water projects

By Collin Eaton: Business Reporter, Houston Chronicle: May 3, 2017

The recovery in energy prices won’t produce a mad rush into deep-water fields anytime soon, but drillers are still spending billions this year on more cost-efficient projects that can outlast cheap oil, says the executive who leads Shell’s deep-water business.

Over the next two years, Royal Dutch Shell plans to spend up to $14 billion developing new and existing deep-water projects in places like the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil, but it’s trying to keep costs nailed down with myriad initiatives that have, for example, reduced its offshore staff by nearly a third. read more

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.

Bloomberg: Shell to cut bidders to three for Argentina assets

May 3, 2017 5:47 PM ET|By: , SA News Editor

Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A, RDS.B) plans to focus on three bidders this month for its downstream oil assets in Argentina after drawing eight non-binding bids of $1B-$2B, Bloomberg reports.

The shortlisted suitors will enter the next phase of the sales process in the next 2-3 weeks, with Chile’s Grupo Luksic among the most appealing of the companies making offers, according to the report.

Shell put the assets, which include an oil refinery near Buenos Aires and ~600 refueling stations, up for sale earlier this year after a strategic review under the company’s $30B divestment plan to reduce debt. read more

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.

Shell’s first-quarter profit more than doubles

By Ron Bousso | LONDON

Royal Dutch Shell reported a sharp rise in net profit on Thursday, beating analyst forecasts and joining its peers as stronger oil prices and improved refining margins boosted revenue after nearly three years of downturn.

A billion dollars in cost savings and budget cuts made over the past three years, as well as around $20 billion of asset sales following the $54 billion acquisition of BG Group last February, also helped increase cash flow and boost profits.

After completing the integration of BG Group in the third quarter of last year, the company and investors are turning their focus to increasing revenue and reducing debt as oil prices appear to recover. read more

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.