Total's strategy diverges from peers
Much of what the three European majors plan to do is remarkably similar. But Total’s dialogue is subtly different
Shell laid out in detail its new three-pillar strategy to investors in mid-February. It is radical in terms of the company's 30-year transformation from its current shape as mainly an oil and gas firm to a net-zero energy provider by 2050. But what is also striking is the similarity between what Shell discussed on its strategy day and its fourth-quarter results earlier in February and the conversation that CEO Bernard Looney and other BP senior executives had with analysts at its Q4 results just two days before Shell’s. In contrast, while there are similar themes in how Total is presenting itself to the equity markets, the French major’s emphases diverge more than those of its UK peers. Cust
Also in this section
28 April 2026
Oil traders warning of $200/bl oil are wrong, and the market should be wary of proclamations that the impact of the oil shortage has only begun to be felt and a that a ‘harsh adjustment’ is coming—even for industrialised nations
28 April 2026
Restoring supply from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Iraq involves complexities far beyond simply adjusting operational controls
28 April 2026
Datacentres will guzzle power at a ferocious rate, but the impact on wider energy markets will be far more complex than previously thought
28 April 2026
The key energy player faces balancing regional routes, political complexities, and creating a clear strategic vision for energy security






