A Shell Stunt

After watching Royal Dutch Shell go for the kill on Majnoon oil field, I’m stunned and I’m sure I’m not the only one. I expected companies to try and undercut each other to win one of the fields offered in the second bid round, before the door of Iraq oil closes again. But I didn’t expect them to go way below the maximum remuneration fee the oil ministry was willing…

2nd Bid Round: The Results – 11 December 2009

– MAJNOON OIL FIELD: THE BIDDERS: 1. Royal Dutch Shell (60%) – Petronas (40%) FEE BID: $1.39    PLATEAU: 1,800,000 b/d     SCORE:100 2. Total (57%) – CNPC (43%) FEE BID $1.75    PLATEAU: 1,405,000 b/d       SCORE: 79 Ministry Max Remuneration Fee: not revealed Majnoon contract awarded to SHELL – HALFAYA OIL FIELD: THE BIDDERS: 1. ONGC (50%) – TPAO (30%) Oil India (20%) FEE BID: $1.76  …