Shell to sell interest in Aera Energy to IKAV

HOUSTON, Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Shell Offshore Inc., a subsidiary of Shell plc, has agreed to sell its 100% interest in Shell Onshore Ventures LLC which holds a 51.8% membership interest in Aera Energy LLC to IKAV for a total consideration of approximately $2 billion in cash with additional contingent payments based on future oil prices, subject to regulatory approval. The transaction has an effective date of October 1, 2021 and is expected to close in Q4 2022.

"This decision supports our strategy to create a resilient and competitive Upstream portfolio by focusing on positions with high growth potential and a strong integrated value chain," said Zoe Yujnovich, Shell's Upstream Director.

Headquartered in Bakersfield, California, Aera Energy LLC is operated as an independent company.

While this transaction will end Shell's Upstream position in California, Shell will remain active in the state through a variety of other assets and projects.

Notes to editors

• Aera Energy LLC operates around 13,000 wells in the San Joaquin Valley in California, producing oil and associated gas. For more information on Aera Energy LLC, please visit https://www.aeraenergy.com/
• IKAV is an international asset management group invested across the energy sector from solar and wind to natural gas. For more information, please visit https://www.ikav.com/
• This transaction is estimated to result in an approximate post-tax impairment of $0.3 to $0.4 billion, subject to adjustments.
• Shell has secured and will maintain its current oil marketing agreement for a period of at least five years following sale completion.
• Shell's Powering Progress strategy is comprised of three pillars (Growth, Transition and Upstream), and each contribute to our energy transition plans. Shell's Upstream business plays a critical role in the Powering Progress strategy through a more focused, competitive, and resilient portfolio that provides the energy the world needs today whilst funding shareholder distributions as well as the energy transition.
• Shell has been in California for more than hundred years and has a statewide footprint that includes gas and power trading, electric vehicle (EV) charging, hydrogen and LNG fueling stations, retail and lubricants, distribution facilities and terminals. California is a key market for our Renewables and Energy Solutions business given its advanced, emerging technology and country-leading research and development.
• Shell is a leading energy company in the U.S. with interests in 50 states employing more than 12,000 people. Shell's U.S. portfolio of operated companies and interests consists of oil, natural gas, petrochemicals, gasoline, lubricants, and other refined products along with renewables such as wind, solar, and mobility options like electric vehicle charging and hydrogen. In the U.S. Shell is also investing in an integrated power business that will provide electricity to millions of homes and businesses.

Cautionary note

The companies in which Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this press release "Shell", "Shell Group" and "Group" are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" are also used to refer to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. ''Subsidiaries'', "Shell subsidiaries" and "Shell companies" as used in this press release refer to entities over which Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. Entities and unincorporated arrangements over which Shell has joint control are generally referred to as "joint ventures" and "joint operations", respectively. "Joint ventures" and "joint operations" are collectively referred to as "joint arrangements".  Entities over which Shell has significant influence but neither control nor joint control are referred to as "associates". The term "Shell interest" is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management's expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as "aim", "ambition", ''anticipate'', ''believe'', ''could'', ''estimate'', ''expect'', ''goals'', ''intend'', ''may'', "milestones", ''objectives'', ''outlook'', ''plan'', ''probably'', ''project'', ''risks'', "schedule", ''seek'', ''should'', ''target'', ''will'' and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this press release, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell's products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, such as the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak; and (n) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Shell plc's Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2021 (available at www.shell.com/investor and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this press release and should be considered by the reader.  Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this press release, September 1, 2022. Neither Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

Shell's net carbon footprint

Also, in this press release we may refer to Shell's "Net Carbon Footprint" or "Net Carbon Intensity", which include Shell's carbon emissions from the production of our energy products, our suppliers' carbon emissions in supplying energy for that production and our customers' carbon emissions associated with their use of the energy products we sell. Shell only controls its own emissions. The use of the term Shell's "Net Carbon Footprint" or "Net Carbon Intensity" are for convenience only and not intended to suggest these emissions are those of Shell plc or its subsidiaries.

Shell's net-Zero Emissions Target

Shell's operating plan, outlook and budgets are forecasted for a ten-year period and are updated every year.  They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next ten years. Accordingly, they reflect our Scope 1, Scope 2 and Net Carbon Footprint (NCF) targets over the next ten years.  However, Shell's operating plans cannot reflect our 2050 net-zero emissions target and 2035 NCF target, as these targets are currently outside our planning period. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell's operating plans to reflect this movement. However, if society is not net zero in 2050, as of today, there would be significant risk that Shell may not meet this target.

Forward Looking Non-GAAP measures

This press release may contain certain forward-looking non-GAAP measures such as cash capital expenditure and divestments. We are unable to provide a reconciliation of these forward-looking Non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures because certain information needed to reconcile those Non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures is dependent on future events some of which are outside the control of Shell, such as oil and gas prices, interest rates and exchange rates. Moreover, estimating such GAAP measures with the required precision necessary to provide a meaningful reconciliation is extremely difficult and could not be accomplished without unreasonable effort. Non-GAAP measures in respect of future periods which cannot be reconciled to the most comparable GAAP financial measure are calculated in a manner which is consistent with the accounting policies applied in Shell plc's consolidated financial statements.

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SOURCE Shell