Shell, IMB unveil pact

Shell, IMB unveil pact

ARMONK, New York (AFP): The Royal Dutch/Shell Group oil
conglomerate and IBM Friday announced a five-year, multi-million
dollar strategic alliance.

The three hubs will be located in Kuala Lumpur, The Hague, and
Houston.

The pact calls for IBM to supply the technology for Shell's
three new worldwide computer services hubs that will consolidate
the oil conglomerate's data networks.

Company officials said the agreement to exceed will exceed
US$100 million in value.

In a statement, Shell general manager Alan Matula called the
partnership "one of the most important IT (information
technology) initiatives in Shell's history."

The goal of the project, the companies said, was to integrate
all of Shell's computer systems into a single network.