Purchase of Shares

We write to inform you that on 17 March 2003 The Shell Petroleum Company
Limited purchased 3,020,000 ordinary shares in the Company at 369.3 pence each.
On the same date, B.V. Nederlandse Internationale Industrie - en Handel
Maatschappij, a subsidiary of Shell Petroleum N.V., purchased 1,620,000
ordinary shares in the Company at the same price.

The shares were acquired for the purposes of the respective Stock Option Plans
of The Shell Petroleum Company Limited and Shell Petroleum N.V. which confer
stock options on certain employees.

We have provided this notification although neither purchasing company is 'a
Group Company' of The 'Shell' Transport and Trading Company, p.l.c. for the
purpose of paragraph 15.9 of The Listing Rules.