Royal Dutch Shell RDS.A -0.46% PLC is considering requiring that workers in select locations, including the Gulf of Mexico, receive Covid-19 vaccines, according to a company document.
The oil major considered the pros and cons of mandating vaccinations in the document, which was shared with Shell’s executive committee earlier this month, though no decision has been taken, a person familiar with the matter said. The company’s current policy is to strongly encourage vaccination but not require it, according to the document, which was viewed by The Wall Street Journal.
The document was reported earlier by the Financial Times.
Other oil companies, including Chevron Corp. CVX -0.40% , Hess Corp. HES -0.15% and Valero Energy Corp. VLO -0.25% , already require some employees to be vaccinated.
For instance, Chevron is requiring that offshore workers in the Gulf of Mexico to be vaccinated by Nov. 1, and that expatriate employees, workers traveling internationally and employees aboard U.S.-flagged ships get vaccinated. The company is considering applying the mandate more broadly.
Many oil companies have struggled with coronavirus outbreaks, including at work camps and offshore platforms where employees live and work in close quarters.
Outbreaks of the virus have recently affected operations in key production areas including the Gulf of Mexico, the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico.
The debate over whether to implement vaccine mandates has challenged U.S. companies, with executives wanting to ensure staff and customers are safe, while not wanting to risk losing some workers in a tight labor market. In Europe, concerns including human rights and privacy have tempered those discussions.
Write to Sarah McFarlane at [email protected]
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