The record oil prices that were registered in the last months fueled the oil companies bank accounts.
The record price of 120 dollars per baril reached by the oil price increased the profits recorded by the oil companies in the year's first trimester, writes BBC News. The Dutch-British copany Shell obtained, in the first three monts of 2008, a net profit of 7.8 billion dollars, compared to only 6.9 billions recorded in the same period of 2007. Also, rivals from British Petroleu (BP) recorded profits that raised by 48%, from 4.4 billion dollars in last year's first trimester to 6.6 billions obtained this year.
More, Shell amazed in january, when it reported yearly profits of 27.5 billion dollars, a record for a listed British company. Shell stocks are listed in Britain and in Holland.
Larger profits come after a difficult period encountered by Royal Dutch Shell. Not lon ago, the company faced problems caused by the workers strike from Grangemouth refinery, in Scotland. The riots led to problems in fuel suppling of it's petrol stations network and to a drop of the processed oil quantity.
The "Black gold", an almost finished resource
"The oil price is high because the dollar is weak, and the reserves are under pressure. OPEC doesn't have at it's dispposal that much oil for the pumps", thinks Simon Wardell, analist at the economy consulting firm Global Insight. "The lack of oil is reflected in it's price", added the official. Werdell also threatens the oil companies that, if they stay and enjoy the larger profits without doing anything, they are making a big mistake. "The oil companies shoul consider long term investments, and future prices", stated Werdell.
Even if the managers of the oil companies refuse to talk about this problem, it is unknown what will happen to the companies when the oil reserves will be severely diminished or when they will be exhausted.