Traditionally, Shell was a heavily decentralised business worldwide (especially in the downstream) with companies in over 100 countries, each of which operated with a high degree of independence. The upstream tended to be far more centralised with much of the technical and financial direction coming from the central offices in The Hague. Nevertheless, there were very large "exploration and production" companies in a few major oil and gas production centres such as the United Kingdom (Shell Expro, a Joint Venture with Exxon), Nigeria, Brunei, and Oman. COUNT 4
QSN1 Shell was traditionally considered what type of business worldwide? ANS1 heavily decentralised QSN2 Shell operated companies in how many countries? ANS2 over 100 QSN3 A good deal of technical and financial direction for the upstream came from what entity? ANS3 the central offices in The Hague QSN4 What types of companies existed in a few major oil and gas production centers? ANS4 "exploration and production"