Statement No 3 by Royal Dutch Shell Pl: Royal Dutch Shell progresses sale of its Berre-l’Etang refinery site complex

02 Aug 2007 

As part of an ongoing strategy of portfolio management, Société des Pétroles Shell (Shell) has received an offer for the sale of its Berre-l’Etang refinery site complex and associated infrastructure and businesses to Basell. A purchase price of $700 million has been agreed.

The sale is subject to staff consultation and regulatory approval. Shell will be working closely with the appropriate trade unions and staff representatives as it has been doing since the announcement to review the ownership of the assets was made in January 2007. It is anticipated that any deal would be concluded in early 2008.

Shell will continue to serve its customers in France in a range of businesses including retail, commercial road transport, lubricants (including Marine Lubricants), LPG, aviation and bitumen.

‘The deal is consistent with our strategy of ‘more upstream, profitable downstream’, where we aim to focus and simplify the portfolio of the Downstream business to those areas that give us the best returns and allow us to use capital to invest in growth markets. We believe this deal is in the long-term best interests of our shareholders, staff and customers,” said Rob Routs, Executive Director Oil Products and Chemicals, Royal Dutch Shell plc.

Shell also owns the Petit Couronne and Reichstett Vendenheim refineries, which are not part of the deal with Basell.  An announcement on the possible sale of these two refineries was made earlier today.  Petroplus Holdings AG has signed a Letter of Intent with Shell International Petroleum Company Limited (not Société des Pétroles Shell as previously reported).

Notes for Editors

Royal Dutch Shell is a global leader in Downstream activities. The company has some 4 million barrels per day of world wide refining capacity, and around 25 million tonnes per year of petrochemicals capacity. Shell is the world’s largest single branded fuels retailer with some 46,000 service stations worldwide, and operations in more than 130 countries and territories around the world.

Royal Dutch Shell plc

Royal Dutch Shell plc is incorporated in England and Wales, has its headquarters in The Hague and is listed on the London, Amsterdam, and New York stock exchanges.  Shell companies have operations in more than 130 countries with businesses including oil and gas exploration and production; production and marketing of Liquefied Natural Gas and Gas to Liquids; manufacturing, marketing and shipping of oil products and chemicals and renewable energy projects including wind and solar power.

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