Shell’s chief executive Ben van Beurden has called for a greater focus on safety from staff, suppliers and contractors after a number of deaths within associated operations in the past year.
The worst incident was in Pakistan in June when more than 200 people lost their lives after a road tanker operated by a contractor crashed off the road and spilled its load.
The wreck attracted a crowd of locals, many of whom were killed when the fuel subsequently ignited.
Shell also reported a contractor’s death in Canada and a fatality in Nigeria.
In his review for the group’s annual report, Mr van Beurden said safety had to be the group’s number one priority.
He said: “These incidents underscore the need for all Shellcontractors, suppliers and employees to adhere to effective health and safety standards at all times.
“Any incident is one incident too many and we must reflect deeply on these events. We must redouble our focus on safety.”
The safety issues marred an otherwise positive year for Shell in which revenues rocketed 31% to £215 billion and pre-tax profits increased by 223% to £12.8bn.
Net debt also fell by £5.6bn in the year.
The firm has confirmed it is committing capital expenditure totalling £600 million to £900m to the UK North Sea over the next two to three years.
Development opportunities include the Fram field, east of Aberdeen, and Penguins off Shetland.
In his review, Mr van Beurden – whose base salary increased by 2.5% to £1.35 million in 2017 – said Shell was committed to reducing the carbon footprint of its energy products by 20% by 2035 and by half by 2050.
He added: “In a changing energy landscape, we will continue our focus on delivering strong shareholder returns and cash as we progress confidently along the path to becoming – and remaining – a world-class investment.”