Environment Support

Shell - The Rise of Fuel Cells

Shell is a large-scale assembly of energy and petrochemical companies, functioning in more than 130 countries and hiring 108,000 employees worldwide. The Shell Group aims to meet the energy needs of society through practices that are socially, economically, and environmentally feasible.

In 1833, Marcus Samuel, a shopkeeper, was firm in enlarging his London business by selling oriental pearls in addition to his collection of antiques. The demand was high enough that Samuel had to import shells from the Far East. In 1886, there was also a growing demand for gasoline, which sprung from the evolution of the Mercedes-Benz. By this time, Marcus Samuel Jr. and his brother Sam assumed their father's business where they exported goods to Japan and the Far East while importing other commodities to Europe and Middle East. The Samuel brothers shortly started an oil exporting business based in Russia. They were originally called The Tank Syndicate, but later became the Shell Transport and Trading Company.

In 1903, Shell allied with Royal Dutch Petroleum and formed the Asiatic Petroleum Company. During World War I, Shell was the primary supplier of fuel to British forces. The company then became the world's leading oil company, and soon established Shell Chemicals.

In the 1930s, Shell experienced an economic depression due to World War II. Soon thereafter however, the demand for oil was increasing again, and the company rehabilitated and progressed vigorously. Shell then extended its explorations abroad and formed a joint venture with Ferrari. Shell's name in the Middle East was fortified in the 1960s and the company discovered Dutch Groningen gas field and North Sea gas. In 1973, Shell adopted diversification strategies at the height of an oil crisis, bringing cheap energy to a halt. In the 1980s, Shell's numerous acquisitions accounted for its company growth. Shell founded its LNG business in the 1990s and in 2005, Royal Dutch and Shell Transport was officially merged under Royal Dutch Shell PLC.

With the pecten shell as their popular emblem, Shell has stood for the quality of their products and services over the years.

Shell Company in the U.S.

Shell Company in the U.S. is an affiliate of the Shell Group, which sprung from two organizations founded in the United States, to wit: the American Gasoline Company, a gasoline-selling company based in Washington; and the Roxana Petroleum Co., a producer of oil in the Midwest.

In 1922, the two organizations fused with Union Oil Company thereby forming Shell Union Oil Corporation. Following its course, this became Shell Oil Company in 1949. In 1985, the company became an officially-owned affiliate of the Shell Group. In 1999, Shell Hydrogen was founded to pursue and extend business prospects related to hydrogen and fuel cells.

Shell Executive Directors

Environmental Efforts

In its desire to foster a greener and healthier environment, Shell teamed up with General Motors in transforming an economy that primarily relies on carbon into one that depends solely on hydrogen in years to come.

In 2004, a Shell gas station in Washington D.C. was the first in the U.S. to include a hydrogen dispensing pump. It was used to service six fuel-cell minivans that General Motors Corp. used to demonstrate the technology to government officials. The minivans were equipped with fuel cell stacks that turned hydrogen into electricity to power the vehicles. The only emission was water vapor.

With this demonstration of a combined hydrogen vehicle and a fueling station, both companies placed their concern on three focal points: increased awareness and understanding; knowledge sharing; and experience and learning. How do these hydrogen-powered vehicles really work? Through the ingenuity of these makers, an electric motor is used to power the wheels. A chemical reaction inside a unit called a fuel cell then creates electricity for the motor. This reaction is typical between hydrogen and oxygen. As only water vapor is emitted, free from smog-causing discharge, this technology raises the potential for limiting the dependence on foreign oil, thus providing a substitute to gasoline engines that is also environmentally friendly.

GM aims to commercially sell affordable hydrogen-powered cars by 2015. Shell meanwhile, envisions increasing the number of stations with hydrogen pumps, and obtaining mass-market penetration between 2015 and 2025.

Shell will be launching the 2008 Shell Eco-Marathon Americas in April. It is a competition that encourages the invention of fuel cell vehicles that can travel the farthest distance with only a small amount of fuel. This will be just one of their many efforts to become more eco-friendly.

Shell Environment Resources