Press Release

Mars Platform Production Resumes

22/05/2006

Production will continue to ramp up over the next several weeks

Shell Exploration & Production Company (Shell) announced today the resumption of partial production from its Mars Tension Leg Platform (TLP).� Mars is the largest producing platform in the Gulf of Mexico and has been shut-in due to damage from Hurricane Katrina since late August of last year.�

�

As announced by Shell on April 20th, progress on the repair and recovery of the TLP and export pipelines was ahead of schedule and production was expected to resume in the second half of May.� Production will continue to ramp up over the next several weeks and Mars production will be restored to pre-Katrina rates by the end of June.������

�����������

"The Mars platform recovery and deepwater pipeline repairs were among the most technologically complex operations in the world, and our people were up to the task, completing the work safely and ahead of schedule," said Marvin Odum, Executive Vice President and head of Shell Exploration & Production in North and South America.� "Resumption of production as a result of a dedicated recovery team and on-site workforce that often numbered over 500 people per day and representing over 1,000,000 man-hours without a recordable incident is the crowning testament to the success of this effort.� I am proud of the Shell team and all the staffs from Louisiana, the Gulf Coast Region and around the world that rallied to provide the resources to accomplish this goal safely."

���

Shell operates the Mars platform with a 71.5 percent working interest; BP has the remaining working interest.

• Download Mars photos and B-roll