Plaza Shell a landmark for Shell’s continued confidence in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU, 13 November 2015: Shell underscored its confidence in Sabah when it officiated its new offices in Plaza Shell today. Occupying more than 54,000 sq. ft. in Kota Kinabalu’s first grade-A, eco-friendly office building, Shell’s new offices houses its deepwater operations and downstream business for Sabah; bringing the best of Shell to its partners, customers and employees from a central location.

Speaking at the event, Datuk Iain Lo, Chairman of Shell Malaysia said, “Plaza Shell is more than just a new office for us. This is a landmark to represent our long presence, partnership and progress here in Sabah. Our offshore operations started in 1958, when Shell drilled the first offshore well in the Sabah Basin. Since then, Shell and Sabah’s oil and gas sector have grown from strength to strength. Plaza Shell represents our continued confidence in the opportunities available in Sabah.”

Shell will run its deepwater business from Plaza Shell, including day-to-day production operations, maintenance, as well as future developments and enhancements. Its downstream business will also be located here to manage the supply and marketing of retail fuels, lubricants, commercial fuels, aviation, and marine products for Sabah.

Plaza Shell was officiated by Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman, Chief Minister of Sabah who said, “I am pleased to see Shell establish deeper roots in Sabah with its new offices at Plaza Shell. We look forward to our continued partnership with Shell, as one of Sabah’s long-standing corporate citizens, for the good of our state’s people, economy, and environment. We hope that others will follow Shell’s lead to build on the great opportunities available here in Sabah.” At the Sabah Oil and Gas Conference earlier in April this year, Datuk Seri Musa had urged oil, gas and energy companies to build on the opportunities here in the state.

Plaza Shell is the latest example to demonstrate Shell’s confidence in Sabah through longer-term investments, innovation-sharing, and local impact.

Sabah is home to Gumusut Kakap, Shell’s first deepwater venture in Malaysia. The project uses Shell’s technology to safely produce and pipe oil from beneath seas 1,200 metres deep. Shell is also working on its second deep-water venture for the Malikai oil field, 100km offshore Sabah, Malaysia. The project will use a tension-leg platform, Shell’s first outside the Gulf of Mexico. Shell maintains a positive view of the significant potential in deepwater prospects here in Sabah; for which Shell is keen to share its experience and innovation as the world leader in deepwater. Recently, Shell also became the first supplier to offer 60/70 penetration grade bitumen in Sabah, which is better for road performance and more suited to this tropical climate.

Beyond the business front, Shell has also committed to enhancing the lives of Sabahans and to safeguard the rich environmental heritage of the state. This year, five Sabah NGOs received RM240,000 in sustainable development grants to support their work in community and environmental development. This year, Shell has invested RM12 million for its scholarship programme; which currently supports 55 Sabahans, from a total of the169 Malaysian scholars.

Shell also collaborates closely with industry partners in Sabah. Recently, Shell also announced its participation in “Sahabat Maritim”, a collaboration with PETRONAS & MMEA (Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency), to provide safety at sea for fishermen who co-exist with the oil and gas industry. Shell had previously announced the Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) project with the Sabah Department of Fisheries and local fishing communities to help local fishermen maintain sustainable livelihoods in a safe environment.

Plaza Shell A Landmark To Partnership And Progress In Sabah

Plaza Shell brings together more than 360 staff supporting both its upstream operations, including Shell’s deepwater projects, as well as its downstream operations in a central location. Occupying four floors in the building, the offices are designed according to Shell Group’s “Connect Programme” requirements; for improved collaboration through space usage and technology.

The design principles have resulted in open spaces that are focused on facilitating more staff collaboration with enhanced support areas such as meeting and huddle rooms, phone booths, telepresence rooms, as well as other state-of-the-art technology capabilities. Plaza Shell also takes into consideration staff wellbeing with rooms dedicated wellness areas for nursing mothers, yoga and meditation.

Datuk Lo explained, “Plaza Shell will allow us to concentrate our resources in a central location to unlock better efficiencies, gain greater collaboration, and respond faster to the needs of the customers and stakeholders. Being centrally located, it is easily accessible by our employees, customers and business partners. Besides amenities such as childcare, recreation, and dining options, it is also eco-friendly and helps reduce our carbon footprint. Most significantly, employees benefit from newer, better ways of working and collaborating. Plaza Shell exemplifies Shell’s best being brought to our stakeholders, customers and employees in Sabah for the long-term.”

For further Media Enquiries, please contact:

Leigh Wong

Head of Media Relations & Issues Management, Shell Malaysia

Cell: +60 12 525 8029, Email: leigh.wong@shell.com

About Shell

Shell is a global leader in power, energy, and gas technology and is working to meet increasing energy demand and supply challenges by delivering smarter products and cleaner energy, infrastructure, and by developing new energy sources while addressing the impact on the environment. Malaysia is one of Shell’s heartlands. The history of Royal Dutch Shell in Malaysia started more than 120 years in Miri, Sarawak. Shell currently has a strong market presence in the upstream and downstream sector in Malaysia.