Shell + BP: The Merger That No One (Except Greedy Investors) Wants

The rumour mill is churning once again, and this time it’s spitting out an absolute gem: a possible Shell-BP merger. That’s right—two of the most unapologetically polluting, ruthlessly profit-driven oil behemoths are being whispered about in the same breath as “consolidation” and “global energy leadership.” Clearly, what the world needs right now is a bigger super-polluter with even more unchecked power.

Wall Street’s Fantasy, The World’s Nightmare

According to industry chatter, Shell and BP could merge to create a single European oil colossus with a market cap of around $300 billion. The goal? Competing with the likes of ExxonMobil and Chevron—because nothing screams progress like two of the worst climate offenders joining forces to crush the competition.

John MacArthur, a former Shell executive turned sustainability advisor, gushed over the idea: “The opportunity is to create a Shell-BP tie-up with ~$300 billion market cap to compete with US rivals and others.” Ah yes, because what better way to save the planet than by making oil companies even richer and more powerful?

But let’s not forget the investors who are really behind this scheme. Elliott Investment Management—yes, the same activist hedge fund famous for squeezing companies for short-term profits—has reportedly built a stake in BP, likely in a desperate bid to juice returns. And with BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street sitting on significant portions of both Shell and BP, there’s no doubt who stands to benefit: the very same institutions fueling climate catastrophe while pretending to champion ESG principles.

The Shell-BP Partnership: A Legacy of Toxicity

If history is anything to go by, a Shell-BP union is less “industry synergy” and more “villains teaming up for a sequel no one asked for.” These two have been cozy before, from their intelligence-gathering outfit Hakluyt—a glorified corporate spy agency targeting activists and journalists—to their joint ventures in Apartheid South Africa, where they helped prop up a brutal, racist regime in exchange for business opportunities. But sure, let’s pretend they’re just innocent energy providers, shall we?

Monopoly or Just More Market Manipulation?

Of course, such a mega-merger would raise red flags for regulators. MacArthur himself admitted, “The completion of this type of mega consolidation would likely be flagged for an uphill battle given the antitrust laws.” But let’s be honest: when has a minor thing like legality ever stopped Big Oil before? They’ve spent decades manipulating markets, lobbying governments, and evading taxes with surgical precision.

The Real Endgame: Delay, Distract, Drill

Let’s be clear: this isn’t about “competing on the global stage” or “enhancing operational efficiencies.” It’s about one thing—delaying the inevitable. BP and Shell both love to pay lip service to “energy transition” while simultaneously expanding fossil fuel production. Even their so-called investments in renewables are minuscule compared to their spending on oil and gas.

And yet, MacArthur still dares to suggest that a Shell-BP merger would be about “seizing demonstrably commercial energy transition opportunities.” Please. If these companies were truly committed to a cleaner future, they wouldn’t need a mega-merger to do it—they’d be winding down oil and gas operations instead of greenwashing them.

Who Actually Wants This?

Not the public, that’s for sure. Not the climate scientists screaming about the planet’s tipping points. And certainly not the activists and communities suffering from Shell and BP’s ongoing environmental destruction. The only ones salivating over this idea are billionaire investors, corporate executives, and hedge funds eager to extract every last drop of profit before the oil industry finally implodes.

So, is this merger real or just wishful thinking? Either way, the fact that it’s even being entertained should serve as yet another reminder of what Shell and BP truly are: not energy companies, but glorified death machines, masquerading as innovators while dragging humanity toward climate catastrophe.

And if you think they’ll stop at one mega-merger, think again—because when it comes to greed, Shell and BP have never known when to quit.

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