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                                                               EXHIBIT (a)(1)(O)


               SHELL VIEWS BARRETT BYLAW CHANGES AS POSITIVE STEP


         HOUSTON (MARCH 14, 2001) -- Shell Oil Company (Shell), a wholly-owned
member of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group, announced today that it is pleased with
Barrett Resources Corporation's (Barrett) recent action to remove certain bylaw
provisions. These amendments will facilitate the Barrett shareholders' right to
act by written consent to replace the Barrett Board should that become
necessary.
         "We view Barrett's action as a positive development and renew our
request that they remove the balance of their takeover defenses," said Walter
van de Vijver, president and CEO of Shell Exploration & Production Company, the
exploration and production arm of Shell Oil Company. "It is still our hope that
we can reach a negotiated agreement consistent with our $55 per share
acquisition proposal."
         Shell was informed today of these amendments shortly before a scheduled
hearing in Delaware Chancery Court relating to Shell's claim that these bylaw
provisions were invalid. Shell had previously requested that Barrett remove
these and other takeover defenses that could be used to prevent Shell from
acquiring Barrett.
         On March 7, Shell announced to Barrett shareholders its intention to
acquire the company. Later, when the Barrett Board announced plans to begin an
auction to sell the company, Shell commenced a formal Tender Offer to acquire
all of Barrett's outstanding shares for $55 per share in cash.

THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NEITHER AN OFFER TO PURCHASE NOR A SOLICITATION OF AN
OFFER TO SELL SECURITIES. THE TENDER OFFER IS MADE ONLY THROUGH AN OFFER TO
PURCHASE AND RELATED LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE
STRONGLY ADVISED TO READ THE TENDER OFFER STATEMENT REGARDING THE TENDER OFFER
REFERRED TO IN THIS PRESS RELEASE BECAUSE IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

THE TENDER OFFER STATEMENT WAS FILED BY SHELL OIL COMPANY WITH THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (SEC). INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS MAY OBTAIN A FREE
COPY OF THE TENDER OFFER STATEMENT AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS ON THE SEC'S WEB
SITE.

SHELL OIL COMPANY HAS FILED A PRELIMINARY CONSENT STATEMENT AND OTHER
SOLICITATION MATERIALS WITH THE SEC RELATING TO SHELL OIL COMPANY'S SOLICITATION
OF WRITTEN CONSENTS FROM THE SHAREHOLDERS OF BARRETT RESOURCES CORPORATION.
INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE
CONSENT STATEMENT, WHEN AVAILABLE, BECAUSE IT WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT
INFORMATION. THE DEFINITIVE CONSENT STATEMENT WILL BE FILED BY SHELL OIL COMPANY
WITH THE SEC. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS CAN OBTAIN A FREE COPY OF THE
CONSENT STATEMENT (WHEN AVAILABLE) AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS ON THE SEC'S WEB
SITE.

IN ADDITION, THE IDENTITY OF PEOPLE WHO, UNDER SEC RULES, MAY BE CONSIDERED
"PARTICIPANTS IN THE SOLICITATION" OF BARRETT SHAREHOLDERS AND THEIR HOLDINGS OF
BARRETT COMMON STOCK ARE CONTAINED IN SHELL OIL COMPANY'S FILINGS WITH THE SEC
UNDER REGULATION 14A.

THIS PRESS RELEASE CONTAINS FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS THAT ARE BASED ON SHELL
OIL COMPANY'S CURRENT EXPECTATIONS, ESTIMATES AND PROJECTIONS. WORDS SUCH AS
"EXPECTS," "ANTICIPATES," "FORECASTS," "INTENDS," "PLANS," "BELIEVES,"
"PROJECTS," AND "ESTIMATES," AND VARIATIONS OF SUCH WORDS AND SIMILAR
EXPRESSIONS ARE INTENDED TO IDENTIFY SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. THESE
STATEMENTS ARE NOT GUARANTEES OF FUTURE PERFORMANCE AND INVOLVE RISKS AND
UNCERTAINTIES AND ARE BASED ON A NUMBER OF ASSUMPTIONS THAT COULD ULTIMATELY
PROVE INACCURATE AND, THEREFORE, THERE CAN BE NO ASSURANCE THAT THEY WILL PROVE
TO BE ACCURATE. ACTUAL RESULTS AND OUTCOMES MAY VARY MATERIALLY FROM WHAT IS
EXPRESSED OR FORECAST IN SUCH STATEMENTS. AMONG THE FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE
ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY ARE CHANGES IN NATURAL GAS PRICES, CHANGES
IN COMPETITIVE OR ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AFFECTING SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR GAS,
PENDING OR FUTURE LITIGATION, CHANGES IN CURRENT LAWS AND REGULATIONS, AND
GENERAL DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS. SHELL OIL
COMPANY UNDERTAKES NO OBLIGATION TO UPDATE PUBLICLY ANY FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS, WHETHER AS A RESULT OF NEW INFORMATION, FUTURE EVENTS OR OTHERWISE.


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Kitty Borah/Stacy Hutchinson      Shell Oil Media Relations       (713) 241-4544

David Sexton                      Shell Oil Investor Relations    (212) 218-3112