TOP NEWS: Shell to make speedy buybacks despite Omicron demand hit

(Alliance News) - Royal Dutch Shell PLC on Friday vowed to progress a share buyback programme "at ...

Alliance News 7 January, 2022 | 8:27AM
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(Alliance News) - Royal Dutch Shell PLC on Friday vowed to progress a share buyback programme "at pace", despite seeing a slight hit on oil products demand due to the Omicron variant.

The oil major added it will update on the amount and pace of shareholders distributions in its fourth quarter results on February 3. Friday's trading statement also featured a warning on cashflow in Shell's Integrated Gas arm.

In early trade in London on Friday, Shell's A stock was down 0.3% at 1,713.20 pence. Its B class shares were 0.4% lower at 1,714.49p.

"The remaining USD5.5 billion of proceeds from the Permian divestment will be distributed in the form of share buybacks at pace. This decision was taken on December 31, 2021, at the first board meeting held in the UK following the decision to implement the simplification of the company's share structure," Shell explained.

"The Permian related distributions are in addition to the distributions of 20-30% of cash flow from operations as per our existing capital allocation framework."

Shell announced the USD9.5 billion sale of assets in the shale-oil-rich Permian Basin of the US to ConocoPhillips back in September.

By unit, Shell expects to report a somewhat mixed fourth quarter, it said Friday.

In Integrated Gas, trading results are set to improve quarter-on-quarter as the company shook off "ongoing supply issues" and benefited from a high liquefied natural gas spot price.

Output at the unit is expected to land between 910,000 and 950,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. This is slightly off a 940,000 to 980,000 outlook it gave in its third quarter report. Third quarter output amounted to 938,000 boepd.

Elsewhere in the fourth quarter note, Shell warned on "significant outflows" of cash from operations in its Integrated Gas arm.

"[Cash flow from operations] excluding working capital is expected to have significant outflows from variation margin impacts on the back of the prevailing gas and electricity price environment, including the unprecedented gas price volatility at the end of the fourth quarter," the company said.

In Upstream, output between 2.15 million and 2.25 million boepd is expected, which would be an improvement from 2.08 boped in the third quarter.

In Oil Products, Shell expects results to be largely in line with the fourth quarter of 2020, though down on a quarter-on-quarter basis.

The oil major put this down to "seasonal trends", as well as the impact on demand from the emergence of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. It also noted foreign exchange impacts in Turkey, where the lira has plunged in value.

In addition, working capital in its oil products segment will see outflows of around USD1 billion, Shell cautioned, due to the timing of charges related to emission schemes on product sales in Europe and North America.

"Working capital is expected to have outflows of about USD1 billion due to annual payments of the German mineral oil tax in the fourth quarter. Working capital is expected to be additionally impacted by movements between the quarter opening and closing price of crude along with changes in inventory volumes," Shell explained.

Elsewhere in Oil Products, Shell said realised refining margins are to be hit by extended turnaround efforts at its Scotford asset in Canada, as well as recovery work in Norco, following Hurricane Ida. Norco is located in the US Gulf Coast region.

In its Chemicals arm, Shell expects to report plant utilisation for the fourth quarter between 74% and 78%, which could land below the 78% reported for the third quarter. This also is due to work at Scotford and Hurricane Ida recovery efforts.

By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com

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