European Oil & Gas giant announces major moves
Global energy giant Shell recently announced it will stop fueling hydrogen passenger cars in California, the only U.S. state where the fuel is available feasibly for mid-to-long distance driving ranges.
Andrew Beard, Vice President of Shell Hydrogen, said the company's fuel trading entity stateside - Equilon Enterprises - will no longer be operating "hydrogen light duty passenger fueling stations" in California due to "supply complications and other external market factors."
Beard also announced the permanent closure of seven hydrogen stations in the state, most of which happen to be in the San Francisco Bay Area. Given there are currently only 55 hydrogen passenger retail fuel stations statewide, Shell's decision effectively knocked 12% of fueling options offline for drivers of hydrogen fuel cell cars in California.
Shell also announced on January 16 that it has reached an agreement to sell its Nigerian onshore subsidiary The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) to Renaissance, a consortium of five companies comprising four exploration and production companies based in Nigeria and an international energy group.
Completion of the transaction is subject to approvals by the Federal Government of Nigeria and other conditions.Â