Our business activities

Shell's business activities

Exploration

  • 1. Exploring for oil and gas onshore and offshore

Development and extraction

  • 2. Developing onshore and offshore fields
  • 3. Producing conventional, deep-water and shale oil and gas
  • 4. Capturing carbon dioxide and storing it safely underground
  • 5. Extracting bitumen

Manufacturing and energy production

  • 6. Upgrading bitumen
  • 7. Refining oil into fuels and lubricants
  • 8.Producing gas-to-liquids (GTL) products
  • 9. Producing petrochemicals
  • 10. Producing biofuels
  • 11. Generating renewable power
  • 12.Producing liquefied natural gas (LNG)

Transport and trading

  • 13. Shipping gas to where it is needed
  • 14. Shipping oil to where it is needed
  • 15. Trading oil and gas
  • 16. Supply and distribution of LNG for transport applications
  • 17. Regasifying LNG
  • 18. Trading power

Sales and marketing

  • 19. Supplying domestic electricity
  • 20. Supplying products to businesses, including gas for cooking, heating and electrical power
  • 21. Progressing electric vehicle and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure
  • 22. Providing mobility solutions for customers, including fuels and lubricants
  • 23. Supplying aviation fuel

Technical and business services

  • 24. Researching and developing new technology solutions
  • 25. Managing the delivery of major projects
  • 26. Providing technical and supporting services

Shell business activities

Shell business model (infographic)

Shell is a global group of energy and petrochemical companies with operations in many countries and locations and across the whole energy supply chain. We work collaboratively with customers, governments, business partners, investors and other stakeholders. Our purpose is to power progress together by providing more and cleaner energy solutions. Our strategy is to strengthen our position as a leading energy company by providing oil, gas and low-carbon energy products and services as the energy system transforms. In April 2020, we announced that we aim to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050 or sooner, in step with society.

We have the following strategic ambitions:

  • to thrive in the energy transition by responding to society’s desire for more and cleaner, convenient and competitive energy;
  • to provide a world-class investment case. This involves growing free cash flow and increasing returns, all built upon a strong financial framework and resilient portfolio; and
  • to sustain a strong societal licence to operate and make a positive contribution to society through our activities.

The Shell business activities chart shows how these activities interact.

Business activities are supported by centralised services, such as legal and human resources. For more details, see the chapter Supporting Services.

Shell’s activities are organised into Upstream, Integrated Gas and New Energies, Downstream, and Projects & Technology, which work together to help meet energy demand [A].

[A] With effect from 2020, Shell's reporting segments consist of Integrated Gas, Upstream, Oil Products, Chemicals and Corporate.

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