Royal Dutch Shell posts surging profits

London: Royal Dutch Shell said on Thursday that net profit almost tripled to more than $4.0 billion in the third quarter, helped largely by recovering oil prices. Profit after tax rocketed to $4.087 billion (3.505 billion euros) in the three months to September from $1.375 billion in the third quarter of 2016, the Anglo-Dutch energy giant said in a statement. “Earnings benefited mainly from stronger refining and chemicals industry conditions, increased realised oil and gas prices and higher production from new fields, offsetting the impact of field declines and divestments,” the group said. — AFP