Royal Dutch Shell’s first quarter 2011 earnings were US$6.9 billion compared with $4.9 billion a year ago. Basic earnings per share increased by 40% versus the same quarter a year ago.
Cash flow from operating activities for the first quarter 2011 was $8.6 billion. Excluding net working capital movements, cash flow from operating activities in the first quarter 2011 was $13.1 billion, compared with $10.4 billion in the same quarter last year.
Net capital investment for the quarter was $1.7 billion. Total cash dividends paid to shareholders during the first quarter 2011 were $1.6 billion. Gearing at the end of the first quarter 2011 was 14.0%.
A first quarter 2011 dividend has been announced of $0.42 per ordinary share, unchanged from the US dollar dividend per share for the same period in 2010.
Royal Dutch Shell Chief Executive Officer Peter Voser commented: “Our first quarter 2011 earnings have risen from year-ago levels, driven by higher industry margins and our own operating performance.
We continue to make good progress in implementing our strategy; improving near-term performance, delivering a new wave of production growth, and maturing the next generation of growth options for shareholders.
We have announced new asset sales and cost savings programmes, as part of Shell’s focus on continuous improvement, to enhance our profitability and performance. Shell sold $3.2 billion of non-core positions, including tight gas assets in South Texas, in the quarter. Exits from non-core positions continue, with the announcements of further disposals, with proceeds mainly expected during 2011-2012. These additional disposals include refining capacity in the United Kingdom, and marketing positions in Chile and several African countries. This will enhance our competitive performance, and improve our customer and partner focus.
Shell started commercial production at two new projects during the quarter; the 20 thousand boe/d Schoonebeek Enhanced Oil Recovery project in the Netherlands, and Qatargas 4 LNG, with a capacity of 7.8 million tonnes per year. Together, in an industry that needs sustained investment in diverse energy sources to meet customer demand, these projects are expected to add 90 thousand boe/d of peak production for Shell.
These projects are part of a sequence of over 20 new Upstream start-ups planned for 2011-14, as we deliver on our plans for sustainable growth. The first gas flowed from Qatar’s North Field into the new Pearl Gas-to-Liquids project during the quarter, where Shell’s value-added technology is underpinning the development of the world’s largest GTL facility.
We continue to crystallise new investment options for medium-term growth, including the confirmation of the Geronggong discovery in deep water Brunei, and new LNG potential in the Wheatstone development in Australia, where our gas discoveries have been included in a new partner-operated LNG project, which is under study.”
Voser concluded: “We are making good progress against our targets, to deliver a more competitive performance.”
