People & Organization

Around 10% of our technical staff carry out research and development at our technology centres located in 11 countries. Their knowledge, creativity and ideas help us to meet the world’s growing need for energy in a socially and environmentally responsible way.

Our internationally recognized chief scientists help to enhance the expertise of our staff and identify emerging technologies. They work with our Chief Technology Officer to develop and deliver technology that is shaping the future of energy.

In Houston, in the USA, and in Amsterdam and Rijswijk in the Netherlands, our technical centres focus on innovation, developing new technologies and improving existing ones.

Elsewhere – including in the UK, Canada, France, Germany, India, Norway, Oman, Qatar and Singapore – other centres focus on product development, marketing support and providing specific technical assistance to regional operations.

Across our centres, teams of different disciplines integrate to accelerate technology planning and use.  For instance, geologists, engineers and geophysicists can link up through 3D virtual reality systems to simultaneously work on the design of wells.

Shell is the largest investor in research and development among the major oil firms. In 2008 we spent nearly $1.3 billion on the research and development of technologies that will be needed to produce more and cleaner energy, and more efficient fuels and products for our customers.