Highlights
- Q3 2024 Adjusted Earnings(1) of $6.0 billion, despite the lower crude prices and weaker refining margins, reflect strong
- operational performance in Integrated Gas, Upstream and Marketing.
- CFFO of $14.7 billion for the quarter includes a working capital inflow of $2.7 billion; net debt reduced to $35.2 billion ($9.6 billion excluding lease liabilities).
- Cash capex for 2024 is expected to be below the lower end of the $22 - 25 billion range.
- Commencing a $3.5 billion share buyback programme, expected to be completed by Q4 2024 results announcement. Over the last 4 quarters, total shareholder distributions paid were 43% of CFFO. Dividend stable at $0.344 per ordinary share.
(1) Income/(loss) attributable to shareholders for Q3 2024 is $4.3 billion.
Shell plc Chief Executive Officer, Wael Sawan:
"Shell delivered another set of strong results. We continue to deliver more value with less emissions, whilst enhancing the resilience of our balance sheet. Today, we announce another $3.5 billion buyback programme for the next three months, making this the 12th consecutive quarter in which we have announced $3 billion or more in buybacks."
THIRD QUARTER 2024 PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENTS
Integrated Gas
In July 2024, we announced the final investment decision (FID) on the Manatee project, an undeveloped gas field in the East Coast Marine Area (ECMA) in Trinidad and Tobago.
In July 2024, we signed an agreement to invest in the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s (ADNOC) Ruwais LNG project in Abu Dhabi through a 10% participating interest. The Ruwais LNG project will consist of two 4.8 mtpa LNG liquefaction trains with a total capacity of 9.6 mtpa.
In August 2024, Arrow Energy, an incorporated joint venture between Shell (50%) and PetroChina (50%), announced plans to develop Phase 2 of Arrow Energy’s Surat Gas Project in Queensland, Australia. The gas from the project will flow to the Shell-operated QCLNG LNG (joint venture between Shell (73.75%), CNOOC (25%) and MidOcean Energy (1.25%)) facility on Curtis Island, near Gladstone.
Upstream
In July 2024, the operator of the Jerun field in Malaysia, SapuraOMV Upstream Sdn Bhd, announced that first gas has been achieved. Jerun is operated by SapuraOMV Upstream (40%) in partnership with Sarawak Shell Berhad (30%) and PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd (30%).
In August 2024, we announced the FID on a 'waterflood' project at our Vito asset in the US Gulf of Mexico. Water will be injected into the reservoir formation to displace additional oil.
Marketing
In July 2024, we announced that we are temporarily pausing on-site construction work at our 820,000 tonnes a year biofuels facility at the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rotterdam in the Netherlands to address project delivery and ensure future competitiveness given current market conditions.
Renewables and Energy Solutions
In October 2024, we signed an agreement to acquire a 100% equity stake in RISEC Holdings, LLC (RISEC), which owns a 609-megawatt (MW) two-unit combined-cycle gas turbine power plant in Rhode Island, USA. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the first quarter 2025.
UPSTREAM
The Upstream segment includes exploration and extraction of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. It also markets and transports oil and gas, and operates the infrastructure necessary to deliver them to the market.
Quarter Analysis(1)
Segment earnings, compared with the second quarter 2024, reflected lower well write-offs (decrease of $139 million), favourable tax movements ($96 million), lower operating expenses (decrease of $63 million), and lower depreciation charges (decrease of $57 million), partly offset by lower realised liquids prices (decrease of $304 million).
Third quarter 2024 segment earnings also included charges of $138 million related to redundancy and restructuring and charges of $104 million related to decommissioning provisions. These charges are part of identified items, and compare with the second quarter 2024 which included a loss of $143 million related to the impact of the weakening Brazilian real on a deferred tax position, and a loss of $122 million related to a tax settlement in Brazil, partly offset by a gain of $139 million related to the impact of inflationary adjustments in Argentina on a deferred tax position.
Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA(2) were driven by the same factors as the segment earnings and adjusted for identified items.
Cash flow from operating activities for the quarter was primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, partly offset by tax payments of $2,074 million.
Total production, compared with the second quarter 2024 was 1,822 thousand boe/d, an increase mainly due to new oil production.
(1) All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.
(2) Adjusted EBITDA is without taxation.
KeyFacts Energy: Shell UK country profile