Shell is performing well despite the hurricanes

The current cost of supply (CCS) earnings rose to $7.3bn (£4.01bn) in the three months to 30 September.

That was up 68% compared with the same time last year, though when one-off items were excluded it fell $1.57bn to $5.8bn.

The recent hurricanes in the US had hit production at several refineries, but most were now back on line, Shell said.

Despite the hurricanes, the production outlook for 2005 is around 3.5 million barrels of oil equivalent per day   Jeroen van der Veer Chief executive, Shell

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita meant production dipped by 4.9m barrels in the third quarter of the year. Shell added it also expected 4.5m barrels to be lost in the current quarter.

However, the subsequent rise in oil prices to record levels above $70 a barrel helped to outweigh the cost of lost production.

"Our operational performance is paying off with good results," Shell chief executive Jeroen van der Veer said in a statement.