Royal Dutch/Shell has detailed plans this year that seek to restore investor confidence, improve company accountability, and rebuild its overall reputation, in the wake of last year's scandal over over-estimation of its oil and gas reserves.

In restructuring, that has already seen the deconstruction of a centuries' old dual-board, chief executive Jeroen van der Veer is keen to see full accountability applied throughout the company.

He has also warned that estimates of existing reserves will also be likely to fall, but that plans are already being detailed to narrow down a project list of exploration projects most likely to see reserve estimates increased.

Shell is under pressure to match rivals ExxonMobil and BP, by finding new reserves equal to 100 per cent of the oil and gas it extracts for the next four years.