Shell consultancy moves into process industries

It is over a year since Shell Global Solutions (SGS) offered its services beyond Shell to the oil and gas world at large. In 1998 the SGS turned over £210million with an operating profit of £6million. SGS estimates that at net present value, SGS customers have benefited by around £2billion.

For 1999, SGS cut its research budget to 30 per cent of revenue (£63million) and continues to trim research by `focusing on "dry" rather than "wet" research.' Next year SGS plans to expand into the process industries.

Rob Routs, who was brought in as Executive Vice President of SGS in January 1999 says, `Our inherent business strength and unique breadth of experience will make us a leading integrated service provider within the oil and gas business. But we will not stop there. Many of our services and skills can bring benefits to other industries, particularly other process industries. We shall expand our marketing efforts to break into these new areas.'

SGS is organised into five main areas: engineering and process technology, marketing development, consultancy, project services, and exploratory research. The engineering division alone contributed £180million to the SGS's 1998 revenue.