{"publisher":{"name":"MediaBias News","url":"https://mediabias.news","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology","editorialPrinciples":"https://mediabias.news/editorial-principles","corrections":"https://mediabias.news/corrections"},"scoreGuide":{"trust":"How well corroborated and evidenced the source reporting is. 0-100, higher is better.","critic":"Craft quality of the source journalism: context, balance, fact vs comment. 0-100, higher is better.","hype":"How far the source presentation runs ahead of substance. 0-100, LOWER IS BETTER.","scope":"Scores assess the original reporting this article was written from, not the truth of the underlying event and not the quality of this write-up."},"assessmentGuide":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It does not currently publish a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true."},"sourceFactuality":{"note":"Factuality values describe published ratings of the outlets that covered the story. They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"story":{"id":"https://mediabias.news/business/shells-us-chemical-assets-attract-bids-up-to-8-billion","slug":"shells-us-chemical-assets-attract-bids-up-to-8-billion","url":"https://mediabias.news/business/shells-us-chemical-assets-attract-bids-up-to-8-billion","title":"Shell's US Chemical Assets Attract Bids Up to $8 Billion","subtitle":"ExxonMobil, LyondellBasell, and Apollo are among potential buyers for the assets.","excerpt":"Shell is seeking to sell its underperforming U.S. chemical plants, which could be worth up to $8 billion. Several major companies, including ExxonMobil and LyondellBasell, have submitted non-binding offers.","category":"Business & Economy","area":"United States","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T13:45:44.747Z","sourceReportedAt":"2026-08-24T09:09:17.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-24T15:15:15.233Z","readTime":"3 min read","scores":{"trust":60,"critic":60,"hype":20,"notes":{"trust":"Central claim attributed to Financial Times, with multiple outlets citing it and naming specific bidders.","critic":"Reporting is clear and holds together, with specific details on bidders and locations provided.","hype":"Headlines are factual and do not overstate the content of the reports."}},"tags":["#Shell","#ExxonMobil","#LyondellBasell","#ApolloGlobalManagement","#KuwaitPetroleumCorporation","#ChemicalIndustry"],"entities":["Shell","ExxonMobil","LyondellBasell","Apollo Global Management","Kuwait Petroleum Corporation","Financial Times"],"body":[{"type":"key_takeaways","items":["Shell is looking to sell its U.S. chemical assets, which include plants in Louisiana, Texas, and Pennsylvania.","The assets could fetch up to $8 billion, according to reports.","ExxonMobil, LyondellBasell, private equity firm Apollo Global Management, and Kuwait Petroleum Corporation have expressed interest.","Potential buyers submitted non-binding offers last month, with bids for the entire business or parts of it."]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Oil major Shell has attracted interest from several potential buyers for its U.S. chemical assets, which could be valued at up to $8 billion. Companies including ExxonMobil and LyondellBasell, along with private equity firm Apollo Global Management and the chemicals arm of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, have expressed interest. Shell aims to divest underperforming chemical plants as part of its strategy to focus on higher-return activities. The U.S. chemical business comprises plants at four sites across Louisiana, Texas, and Pennsylvania."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Potential buyers submitted non-binding offers last month. These offers range from proposals to acquire the entire business to bids for specific parts of it. The Financial Times reported that the potential sale price represents a significant discount compared to the capital Shell has invested in these facilities."},{"type":"heading","text":"Disagreement on bid details"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"While multiple reports state that potential buyers submitted non-binding offers last month, the Financial Times, as reported by The Times of India and The Economic Times, noted that these bids ranged from proposals for the entire business to parts of it. Other digests did not specify this detail."},{"type":"heading","text":"What the coverage left out"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"None of the centre or right-rated reports mentioned that Shell agreed to sell its onshore renewables power business in Europe to TotalEnergies earlier this month, a detail included in the full reports from The Times of India and The Economic Times. Furthermore, no left-rated outlet ran this story at all."}],"basedOn":[{"sourceName":"Reuters","url":"https://reuters.com/legal/litigation/shell-draws-interest-bidders-including-exxon-8-billion-us-chemical-assets-ft-2026-08-24","headline":"Exxon, Lyondell among suitors for Shell's US chemical assets, could fetch $8 billion, FT reports","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T13:08:38.940Z"},{"sourceName":"NL Times","url":"https://nltimes.nl/2026/08/24/shell-sell-us-chemicals-division-8-billion-refocuses-oil-gas","headline":"Shell could sell U.S. chemicals division for $8 billion as it refocuses on oil and gas","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T12:00:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Sapo","url":"https://jornaleconomico.sapo.pt/noticias/shell-atrai-varios-potenciais-compradores-para-ativos-quimicos-nos-eua","headline":"Shell Attracts Several Potential Buyers for Chemical Assets in the U.S. Economic Journal","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T09:09:17.000Z"},{"sourceName":"BIC Magazine","url":"https://bicmagazine.com/industry/refining-petrochem/exxon-lyondell-among-suitors-for-shells-us-chemical-assets-could-fetch-8-billion","headline":"Exxon, Lyondell among suitors for Shell's US chemical assets, could fetch $8 billion, FT reports","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T08:25:03.303Z"},{"sourceName":"Oil Price","url":"https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Exxon-Eyes-Shells-8-Billion-US-Chemicals-Business.html","headline":"Exxon Eyes Shell’s $8 Billion U.S. Chemicals Business","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T07:15:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Bioplastics News","url":"https://bioplasticsnews.com/2026/08/24/shell-sells-us-chemical-business","headline":"Shell sells US chemical business","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T07:11:26.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Le Singulier","url":"https://lesinguliersete.fr/la-chimie-americaine-de-shell-attire-les-gros-poissons-du-secteur","headline":"Shell's American Chemistry Attracts Large Fish From the Sector","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T06:20:38.000Z"},{"sourceName":"The Edge Markets","url":"http://theedgemarkets.com/node/815594","headline":"Exxon, Lyondell among suitors for Shell's US chemical assets, could fetch US$8 bil, FT reports","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T06:08:13.000Z"},{"sourceName":"BNR Nieuwsradio","url":"https://bnr.nl/nieuws/economie/10608774/interesse-in-overname-amerikaanse-chemie-activiteiten-shell","headline":"‘Interest in Acquiring Shell’s US Chemical Operations’","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T05:48:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Reformatorisch Dagblad","url":"https://rd.nl/a/1160196-ft-interesse-in-overname-amerikaanse-chemie-activiteiten-shell","headline":"FT: Interest in Acquiring Shell's US Chemical Operations","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T05:26:42.997Z"},{"sourceName":"BizToc","url":"https://biztoc.com/x/e6ed1a012322942c","headline":"Exxon, Apollo Among Suitors for Shell US Chemicals Unit, FT Says","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T05:22:24.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Times of India","url":"https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/business/exxon-lyondell-among-suitors-for-shells-us-chemical-assets-could-fetch-8-billion-ft-reports/articleshow/133451703.cms","headline":"Exxon, Lyondell among suitors for Shell's US chemical assets, could fetch $8 billion, FT reports","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T05:01:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"The Economic Times","url":"https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/business/exxon-lyondell-among-suitors-for-shells-us-chemical-assets-could-fetch-8-billion-ft-reports/articleshow/133451703.cms","headline":"Exxon, Lyondell among suitors for Shell's US chemical assets, could fetch $8 billion, FT reports","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T05:01:00.000Z"}],"analysis":{"distribution":{"percent":{"left":0,"centre":56,"right":44},"count":{"left":0,"centre":5,"right":4},"totalSources":13,"untracked":4,"rated":9,"observedAt":"2026-08-24T15:15:15.209819+00:00"},"lifecycle":{"state":"developing","lastCheckedAt":"2026-08-24T15:30:12.568Z","closedAt":null,"checks":3,"changes":1,"reopened":false},"framing":{"left":[],"centre":["The centre-rated reports led with the potential sale of Shell's U.S. chemical assets and the estimated value of up to $8 billion. 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