Shell strategy leaves room for alternative fuels

John Hofmeister, president of Shell Oil Co., kicked off a 50-city public relations tour Friday in Dallas, the latest attempt by a big oil executive to explain that consumers aren’t getting ripped off.

The head of Royal Dutch Shell PLC’s U.S. operations outlined a plan to ensure that the U.S. has plenty of affordable energy: Diversify U.S. fuel sources, become more energy-efficient, and allow oil companies to drill in regions of the country that are now off-limits.

“I firmly believe that we can secure energy supply in the U.S. and improve the prices that we pay for it,” Mr. Hofmeister said at a luncheon given by the Dallas Friday Club. “The optimism we feel should be felt by the American people.”

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