News and Media Releases

The Search for World’s Worst Commute

05/03/2009

Quaker State Repositions Brand To Battle Stresses Of Everyday Driving Launches Search for World’s Worst Commute

Quaker State announced today that the brand is repositioning itself to better address the challenges that vehicle owners are facing in today’s economic environment.

The complete line-up of value-led motor oils in the Quaker State family will now feature “durability” as the main product attribute.  Each of the four products is positioned to deliver outstanding friction-related wear protection to help engines deliver optimal performance under any driving condition. 

“Shell Lubricants is a leader in technology, and we focus on providing automotive maintenance and performance solutions that meet the needs of today's consumers,” said Luis Guimarães, general manager, Americas, Shell Lubricants. 

“When developing this new position, we wanted to address the challenges that vehicle owners are facing today,” he said.  “Not only are they looking for value from every product that they buy, but they also need a motor oil they can trust to help protect their valuable investment as they keep their cars longer.”

As part of the launch for the new brand positioning, Quaker State will offer a chance to win a ride to work from three-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson in the World’s Worst Commute contest.  The initiative will encourage consumers to upload a 30- to 60-second video on www.QuakerState.com and profess why they have the “world’s worst commute”.  Entries will be accepted from Feb. 15 to May 31, 2009, and voting will be open until June 15, 2009. 

The average American spends more than 100 hours a year commuting to and from work, according to the recent U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey.  With the commute time being only a fraction of the time many motorists spend driving, it is important to protect a vehicle from friction-related wear and help it continue to run at optimal performance under any driving condition. 

Everyday driving can create severe conditions -- heat, friction and wear -- that can take a toll on engines, which can reduce engine efficiency, reliability and longevity. 

“Drivers are searching for cost-efficient ways to make their current vehicles continuously perform,” said Mark Ferner, Quaker State technical specialist and ASE-certified master technician. 

“Our goal was to develop motor oil that remains durable even under the constant stress of everyday driving.  An oil that remains durable helps better protect engines from damaging friction-related wear.”

The line-up of oils include:

• Quaker State® Advanced Durability™ motor oil, which helps decrease the stress on an engine by resisting oil breakdown and protecting against friction-related wear;

• Quaker State® Higher Mileage Engine™, a thicker oil blend that provides extra protection to help engines with high mileage;

• Quaker State® Enhanced Durability™ synthetic blend motor oil, which coats the engine with a low-friction, heat-resistant film that reduces metal-to-metal contact when temperatures and stress levels are high;

• Quaker State® Ultimate Durability™ full synthetic motor oil, which offers unsurpassed protection against friction-related wear*, especially as temperatures increase.

*As measured in ASTM Sequence IVA test using SAE 5W-50 and 0W-30 engine oil.

For more information on the full line-up of Quaker State durable motor oils, or to enter the World’s Worst Commute contest, visit www.QuakerState.com.

About Quaker State

Quaker State brand products are manufactured by Shell Lubricants.  The term ‘Shell Lubricants’ collectively refers to the companies of Royal Dutch Shell plc that are engaged in the lubricants business. Shell Lubricants companies lead the lubricants industry, supplying 13% of global lubricants volume. 

The companies manufacture and blend products for use in applications ranging from consumer motor oil and food processing oils to heavy industrial lubricants and commercial transport oils.

The Shell Lubricants portfolio of top-quality brands includes Pennzoil®, Quaker State®, FormulaShell®, Shell TELLUS®, Shell CASSIDA®, Shell RIMULA®, Shell ROTELLA® T, Shell SPIRAX®, a portfolio of leading car care brands and Jiffy Lube® lubrication services.

aKline & Company, “Competitive Intelligence for the Global Lubricants Industry, 2007 – 2017.”

Notes to Editors

Disclaimer statement: 
 

The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate entities. In this press release, the expression “Shell” is sometimes used for convenience where references are made to companies within the Shell group or to the group in general.

Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to Shell companies in general or those who work for them. These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying specific companies.

This announcement contains forward-looking statements concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Royal Dutch 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 Royal Dutch 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 ‘‘anticipate’’, ‘‘believe’’, ‘‘could’’, ‘‘estimate’’, ‘‘expect’’, ‘‘intend’’, ‘‘may’’, ‘‘plan’’, ‘‘objectives’’, ‘‘outlook’’, ‘‘probably’’, ‘‘project’’, ‘‘will’’, ‘‘seek’’, ‘‘target’’, ‘‘risks’’, ‘‘goals’’, ‘‘should’’ and similar terms and phrases.

There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Royal Dutch Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this Report, including (without limitation):

(a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas;

(b) changes in demand for the Group’s products;

(c) currency fluctuations;

(d) drilling and production results;

(e) reserve estimates;

(f) loss of market 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, fiscal and regulatory developments including potential litigation and regulatory effects arising from recategorisation of reserves;

(k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions;

(l) political risks, project delay or advancement, approvals and cost estimates; and

(m) changes in trading conditions.

All forward-looking statements contained in this presentation 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.

Please refer to the Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2007 (as amended) for a description of certain important factors, risks and uncertainties that may affect the Shell Group's businesses. 

Neither Royal Dutch Shell 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 document.

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) permits oil and gas companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only proved reserves that a company has demonstrated by actual production or conclusive formation tests to be economically and legally producible under existing economic and operating conditions. 

We use certain terms in this presentation, such as “oil in place" that the SEC's guidelines strictly prohibit us from including in filings with the SEC. 

U.S. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575 and disclosure in our Forms 6-K file No, 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov. You can also obtain these forms from the SEC by calling 1-800-SEC-0330.