Royal Dutch Shell PLC said Thursday it would separate some of its Americas downstream businesses and sell nonstrategic positions, as well as cut spending in its Americas upstream business by 20% this year, in a bid to improve returns. In a statement before an investor presentation the Anglo-Dutch energy giant said it would drive sharper performance management of its portfolio than in the past, through a more detailed segmentation of the business into performance units. “With sharper accountability in the company, this approach will target growth investment more effectively, focus on areas of the business where performance improvement is most required, and drive asset sales from nonstrategic positions,” Shell Chief Executive Ben van Beurden said. The move follows PLC’s as it and other major oil companies have struggled to profit from the explosion of shale oil and natural gas there. BP is keeping ownership of such assets but is […]