Shell will not pursue U.S. Gulf Coast GTL project

Friday, Dec 06, 2013

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands, December 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ –Royal Dutch Shell plc (“Shell”) (NYSE:RDS.A)(NYSE:RDS.B) today announces that the company will not move forward with the proposed 140,000 barrels per day Gulf Coast gas-to-liquids (GTL) project in Louisiana and will suspend any further work on the project.

Shell is the industry leader in GTL technology, and the company has carefully evaluated a number of development options for GTL on the US Gulf Coast, using natural gas feedstocks. Despite the ample supplies of natural gas in the area, the company has taken the decision that GTL is not a viable option for Shell in North America, at this time, due to the likely development cost of such a project, uncertainties on long-term oil and gas prices and differentials, and Shell’s strict capital discipline.

Shell is the leading energy company in integrated gas, which includes liquefied natural gas and GTL.  The company has built up substantial new options for integrated gas investment, particularly in Australia and North America in recent years.

CEO Peter Voser commented, “We are making tough choices here, focusing our efforts and capital on the most attractive opportunities in our world-wide portfolio, to add value for shareholders.”

Shell thanks the Governor of Louisiana, his staff, Parish officials, regulators and the community for the opportunity to consider locating this project in Louisiana, and the company looks forward to continuing a long, successful relationship with the state.

Cautionary Note

The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate entities. In this announcement “Shell”, “Shell group” and “Royal Dutch Shell” are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them.

These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies. “Subsidiaries”, “Shell subsidiaries” and “Shell companies” as used in this announcement refer to companies over which Royal Dutch Shell plc  either directly or indirectly has control. Companies over which Shell has joint control are generally referred to “joint ventures” and companies over which Shell has significant influence but neither control nor joint control are referred to as “associates”.

In this announcement, joint ventures and associates may also be referred to as “equity-accounted investments”. The term “Shell interest” is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect (for example, through our 23% shareholding in Woodside Petroleum Ltd.) ownership interest held by Shell in a venture, partnership or company, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

This announcement contains forward-looking statements concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Royal Dutch Shell.

Source: Royal Dutch Shell plc

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