The Anglo-Dutch company ROYAL DUTCH-SHELL has announced that it has paid $3.8 bn for shares from its counterpart TEXACO in the American oil groups EQUILON and MOTIVA. The group EQUILON was a joint-venture between TEXACO and SHELL. The latter now has a 100% stake in the company. MOTIVA, for its part, was a joint-venture between SHELL, TEXACO and SAUDI REFINING. At the end of the transaction, SHELL and SAUDI REFINING will each have a 50% stake in the company.